The Upcoming Election Requires National Consensus
The turbulent political situation, security challenges and controversy among the political and ethnic leaders require the NUG to immediately provide the basis for national consensus, in order to hold the upcoming election as well as the work of independent election commission.
The turbulent political situation, security challenges and controversy among the political and ethnic leaders require the NUG to immediately provide the basis for national consensus, in order to hold the upcoming election as well as the work of independent election commission.
Although the presidential palace has repeatedly claimed there is a national consensus in all internal affairs of Afghanistan, the reality is something else. The NUG should ensure the satisfaction of political parties, ethnic leaders and the people of Afghanistan in order to hold wide and transparent elections. The political parties do not believe in the election commission and demand a supervisory team to observe the work of election commission.
Although, the role of political parties in national assembly election process is symbolic, still emphasizes on their role to be prominent in the national assembly election.
Meanwhile, powerful parties in Afghanistan including Jamiat-e Islami, Wahdat and Junbish parties accuses the central government of interfering in election commission. Free and fair election forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) announced that only 18 percent of people’s representatives at the national assembly are satisfied with the performance of the commission. Another 66 percent expressed dissatisfaction with the election commission’s performance and the progress made in getting preparation for the upcoming election. FEFA opinion poll indicate that people and political parties do not believe the parliamentary and district council election will be hold on time. Yet, a national consensus needed to immediately hold the election, in order to witness an all-out election in Afghanistan.
The political parties demand reforms in election laws. The senior members of election commission claim the list of polling centers has been sent to the presidency and the presidential palace has not reviewed the list. However, a number of parliamentary members stress on not holding the parliamentary election.
The executive directorate and the president should ensure the agreement of all political factions before holding the upcoming election. The national assembly election in 2010 was a bad experience. The 2014 presidential election, has not been forgotten yet that pushed the country to the brink of collapse, and it is expected that the country’s politicians would have been well learned about the previous round of elections. The parliamentary elections in 2010 were controversial, but because the political and social base of Hamid Karzai was broad at that time, he could manage the situation with the help of his deputies well.
But the NUG does not have a powerful political and social base and the political tensions increase every day.
The executive directorate and the presidency strongly disagree with the distribution of electronic ID cards and this political dispersion has spread to the society. The political and ethnic polarization of Afghanistan is dangerous as it has experienced the history of ethnic conflicts.
If the NUG does not try to get the satisfaction of political parties and not hold a transparent election, the country will face disaster which will be difficult to manage it.
FEFA opinion poll indicates the performance of the election commission is not acceptable for any address in Afghanistan.
Akhtar Suhail
