 At least half of the 249-seat of the lower house of Afghanistan went to the religious leaders and former fighters, including four former Taliban commanders, said a report of The New York Times.
| I'm not surprised. Are you surprised? This is Afghanistan. They tried to kill off everybody who wasn't a holy man or a warlord. |
More than a month after the elections, nearly all provisional results have finally been released for Afghanistan’s Parliament and provincial assemblies, cementing a victory for Islamic conservatives and the jihad fighters involved in the wars of the past two decades. About 50 of the men elected fall into a broad category of independents, or educated professionals, and 11 are former Communists. Women have taken 68 seats — slightly more than the 25 per cent representation guaranteed under the new electoral system.
| The only real problem I see is the holy men. The warlords, lest we forget, fought for their piece of the pie. Rabbani's government was recognized virtually world-wide on 9-11, to include occupying Afghanistan's UN seat. They could just as easily have been installed as the legitimate government in Kabul. |
It is far from clear how voting blocs will form, because the election system sidelined political parties, and most candidates ran as independents. Even with such a parliament, president Hamid Karzai is likely to be able to push through most bills and appointments. He can rely to some degree on support from his fellow Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group in the country, who will control more than 100 seats.
| Though that's the faction I'd trust least. |
With backing from educated professionals and some other independents, that may prove to be enough support for all but the most controversial issues. |