NUG Leaders Attempt To End Election Deadlock

The Presidential Palace says the leaders of National Unity Government (NUG), are attempting to end the deadlock preventing the holding of parliamentary and provincial council elections.

Coinciding with government efforts for electoral reforms, the Independent Commission for Overseeing the Implementation of the Constitution released a statement, declaring that the President can issue a decree to end the election deadlock without consulting Parliament.

In the meantime, The Transparency Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), says the government does not want to hold the upcoming elections and bring reforms to the electoral system.

“Holding election is an obligation for the government and people want it. The Afghan government is trying to bring reforms,” said Naeem Ayoub Zada, chairman of TEFA.

However, a number of analysts are said to believe that the government’s performance in brining electoral reforms is just a showcase and is for attracting the attention of the donor countries to Afghanistan.

“The government may do something for electoral reforms just because of the Brussels summit. It is just a showcase for the donor countries,” said Ahmad Saeedi, political analyst.

President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah, in the September 2014 agreement, agreed to electoral reforms “to ensure that future elections are credible.”

The National Unity Government agreement is quite clear that “to ensure that future elections are fully credible, the electoral system (laws and institutions), requires fundamental changes,” and “that the objective is to implement electoral reform before the 2015 parliamentary elections.”