The official results will be released on 14 May, but with 82.6 % of the votes counted the Independent Electoral Commission says a first round victory is "unlikely". The run-off should be between Abdullah, now at 43.8% , and Ashraf Ghani, at 32.9%.

Kabul ( AsiaNews) - In all likelihood, the presidential elections in Afghanistan will be solved with a runoff election, which will be held on May 28. This was announced by the Independent Electoral Commission, at a press conference held yesterday in Kabul, based on the preliminary results from the first round after 82.6 % of votes had been counted.

At the moment Abdullah Abdullah is still in the lead with 43.8%, followed by Ashraf Ghani with 32.9% . With only 17.5% of the votes still to be counted, said the committee chairman Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani stated "it is unlikely that someone will win in the first round".

The official results should come out no earlier than May 14. They were originally expected for April 24, but the Commission has postponed the count to expose possible fraud.

About seven million people in 34 provinces of Afghanistan went to the polls on April 5 to elect a new president. The eventual winner will have to face several thorny issues, including the withdrawal of foreign troops - scheduled for the end of the year - and continuing Taliban attacks.

 

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• election
• president
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• off
• abdullah
• ghani