Afghanistan's Ghani wins slim majority in presidential vote preliminary results

Record ID: 1449828

  • Title: Afghanistan's Ghani wins slim majority in presidential vote preliminary results
  • Date: 22nd December 2019
  • Summary: Ghani cast his vote in the first round of the presidential elections, but results from the election would turn out to be inconclusive, leading to a second round of voting. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - APRIL 5, 2014) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GHANI AND HIS RUNNING MATES AT REGISTRATION TABLE INDELIBLE INK ON GHANI'S FINGER GHANI TAKING BALLOT GHANI PLACING BALLOT IN BOX Ghani campaigned ahead of the run-off vote in the Afghan presidential elections. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - JUNE 4, 2014) (REUTERS) GHANI AND HIS TEAM MEMBERS RAISING THEIR HANDS Ghani voted in the final run-off round of the Afghan presidential elections. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - JUNE 14, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GHANI REGISTERING TO VOTE GHANI WALKING BEHIND CARDBOARD BOOTH AND TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO FOLLOW HIM GHANI HOLDING UP INKED FINGER AND WALKING AWAY AFTER PLACING BALLOT IN SEALED BOX Afghan protesters march through the streets of Kabul in support of Ghani's presidential rival, Abdullah Abdullah who dropped out of the election race over allegations of mass vote fraud. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - JUNE 21, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING MAN SHOUTING Ghani called on his rival Abdullah Abdullah to rejoin the race, after he pulled out after alleging vote-rigging. A recount of all votes went ahead in July, a decision mediated by the U.S.. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - JUNE 25, 2014) (REUTERS) GHANI WALKING TO PODIUM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE GHANI, SPEAKING U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets the top two Afghanistan presidential candidates in an attempt to negotiate a deal between the two rivals. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - AUGUST 7, 2014) (REUTERS) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY AND GHANI SITTING DURING MEETING The two contenders for Afghanistan's presidency sign a deal for a power-sharing government at the presidential palace in Kabul. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (RECENT - SEPTEMBER 21, 2014) (REUTERS) THEN-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ABDULLAH ABDULLAH AND ASHRAF GHANI SITTING DOWN GHANI AND ABDULLAH SIGNING POWER SHARING AGREEMENT ABDULLAH AND GHANI HUGGING AND SHAKING HANDS
  • Embargoed: 5th January 2020 10:03
  • Keywords: Ashraf Ghani preliminary results presidential election slim majority
  • Location: HERAT, KABUL, KUNDUZ, KHOJA GHAR, AFGHANISTAN / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM/ WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. / RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN/ MUNICH, GERMANY / BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
  • City: HERAT, KABUL, KUNDUZ, KHOJA GHAR, AFGHANISTAN / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM/ WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. / RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN/ MUNICH, GERMANY / BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Reuters ID: LVA004BB32NUV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Afghanistan's incumbent President, Ashraf Ghani, won a slim majority of votes in a Sept. 28 election, delayed preliminary results showed on Sunday (December 22) in a poll that plunged the country into political uncertainty.
    The Independent Election Commission (IEC) said the total turnout in the presidential election, which was marred by allegations of massive fraud, was 1.9 million with Ghani securing 50.64%, enough to win the first round of voting.
    IEC head Hawa Alam Nuristani said in a press conference in Kabul that outcome could change after final results and was subject to a review by the election complaints commission.
    If a review showed Ghani's vote falling below 50% and no other candidate with a majority, a second round of voting would be held, she said.
    Ghani's top challenger Abdullah Abdullah, who currently shares power with him in an awkward unity government, finished second with 39.52% of the vote, according to tally announced by the IEC.
    In a statement on Sunday, Abdullah's office said he did not accept the preliminary results and that the commission had failed to tackle election fraud.
    Last month, IEC began recounting thousands of votes due to what it described as discrepancies in its system. Abdullah's side objected to the recount and called it an attempt to add more votes in favour of Ghani. IEC dismissed those allegations.
    With 9.7 million registered voters, according to IEC, Afghanistan's 1.9 million voter turnout for the presidential election was low.
    (Production: Masako Iijima)
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