Afghans vote on Sunday in landmark parliamentary elections with about 12.5 million people voting for a 249-seat Lower House of Parliament and councils in all 34 provinces. Enthusiasm is high with many people keen to vote in the first legislative elections in almost 30 years.‘‘These elections are very important because until now it’s been a presidential regime,’’ said political analyst Oliver Roy. ‘‘To have a parliament is very important to give it a democratic dimension.’’Afghanistan president, Hamid Karzai (47) presently grapples with problems from the Taliban, the world’s biggest narcotics industry, corruption and widespread frustration with a perceived lack of improvement in people’s lives. Analysts say chaotic legislative gridlock and grandstanding are distinct possibilities in Afghanistan’s imminent new democracy.For Washington, with 20,000 troops in Afghanistan, a successful vote would allow President George W. Bush to portray Afghanistan as a success story in rebuilding a moderate Islamic state and help offset bad news from Iraq and Hurricane Katrina.About 100,000 troops, including 22,000 US-led troops and 10,000 NATO-led peacekeepers, will provide security following Taliban threats and the killing of seven candidates. About 160,000 polling staff have been trained and a huge operation mounted to transport election material to 6,000 polling stations across some of the world’s most difficult terrain.Among the approximaely 5000 candidates, mujahideen leaders, veterans of the 1980s Soviet defeat will compete with thousands of idealistic independent candidates looking to build a ‘‘new Afghanistan’’. Women, not allowed to work under the Taliban, have been reserved 68 parliamentary seats. —Reuters
