Free and fair elections?

Votes are now being counted in Afghanistan after the country held parliamentary elections over the weekend.

It has been a rocky road to the ballot box – even before the vote there were claims of electoral violations, and the election itself was overshadowed by violence and accusations of widespread corruption.

At least 11 civilians were killed during bomb explosions and rocket attacks and election observers reported fake voter cards and ballot stuffing in several provinces.

So, is the election credible? And do Afghans believe in democracy?
 
Inside Story, with presenter Shiulie Gosh, discusses with Nader Nadery, the chairman of the Free and Fair Election Foundation in Afghanistan, Fahim Dashty, the chief editor of the Kabul Weekly newspaper, and Peter Galbraith, a former UN deputy special representative for Afghanistan.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Sunday, September 19, 2010.