A failed experiment

The democratic experiment has failed, writes the daily Die Presse in view of the report by the UN Electoral Complaints Commission: "There is no longer any doubt that Karzai was implicated in a massive case of electoral fraud during the presidential elections on August 20. The UN commission investigating reports of fraud in the election has now declared several hundred thousand ballots invalid. With this finding, what has been obvious for several weeks now is more or less official: Karzai did not win an absolute majority. A run-off ballot is necessary. A government of national unity including his challenger [Abdullah Abdullah] will not solve the problem. The Afghan people must be given the possibility to vote Karzai out of office in a fair election. The West must now remain strict. It cannot denounce electoral manipulations in Iran and then give its blessing to Karzai."

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