Karzai hints at early poll to avoid clash with troops’ exit

Afghan president Hamid Karzai has raised the prospect of holding presidential elections a year early to lessen the trouble that could be caused by foreign combat troops leaving at the same time he ends more than a decade as leader of a nation at war.

Mr Karzai, who assumed the helm shortly after the 2001 invasion that removed the Taleban, has been the face of the international effort to transform the country and end the insurgency. Recently, however, his relations with his international partners have become strained by his anti-western verbal assaults and mercurial approach to policy decisions.

Speaking about an early election during a news conference with visiting Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday, he said: “I have been talking about this for a few months now. With all the changes that are taking place, with the complete return of international forces to their homes from Afghanistan and the holding of the presidential election at the same time, whether that will be an agenda that we can handle at the same time.”

Mr Karzai said no final decision had been made and it would take a long time to reach a conclusion.

The next presidential elections are scheduled for 2014 and the majority of Nato combat forces will leave Afghanistan by the end of that year. By then, Mr Karzai will be at the end of his second five-year term and the constitution bars him from running for a third term.

That has raised concerns insurgents could try to take advantage of any chaos as Afghan security forces attempt to protect the country without foreign military assistance.

The prospect of an early departure for the controversial leader would please Afghans and others who are ready for a fresh start, because they don’t think Mr Karzai has not done enough to battle corruption or improve daily life.

Electing a new leader in 2013 would also clear the slate as the international community looks for a smooth transfer of power before most of the foreign troops go home or move into support roles.

Mr Karzai has said he wants Afghan forces to be in charge of protecting and defending the nation by the end of 2014, the same time the international military coalition has decided that it would end its combat mission. He has said he would be happy if the transition could be accomplished sooner, but either way was fine.

“Should we allow the transition process to complete itself in 2014 and bring the presidential elections one year earlier to 2013?” he asked, rhetorically.

“This is a question that I’ve had and I’ve raised it in my inner circle,” he said. “I’ve not had a final decision yet, but it will not be soon.”

His term expires in May 2014 and the constitution says elections must be held 30 to 60 days before an incumbent leaves office.

An official with Afghanistan’s election commission said preparations were still under way for a ballot in March 2014 and no-one had approached it about organising an earlier vote.

“My understanding is that early elections can happen if something happens to the president or if the president resigns,” said Zekria Barakzai, deputy chief electoral officer. In such a case, the commission would have three months to organise elections, he added.

William Patey, the outgoing British ambassador to Afghanistan, said last week that he had heard some people discussing the idea of early elections.”