On Monday 22 October, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service hailed the vote of the Afghan people in the parliamentary elections over the weekend, "showing that even threats to their security will not prevent them from choosing a peaceful, democratic future for their country".
Despite the elections being marred by around 200 incidents, including attacks, 4 million voters, of the 8.9 million listed, turned out to vote.
"While organisational challenges and incidents were reported, good mobilisation of voters was noted, including among women", the spokesperson stated. Chaotic use of biometric checks, missing voting lists and delays in opening the polling stations added complications to the voting.
The EEAS spokesperson stated that it was "essential" in the coming weeks that the Afghan electoral bodies "continue to fulfil their mandate" and that any complaint and appeal proceedings "are conducted in a fair and transparent manner, in full respect of electoral laws and procedures".
"The European Union will continue to work, along with our international partners, for a brighter future for all Afghans", the spokesperson said.
At the opening of the European Parliament's plenary session on 22 October, its president Antonio Tajani paid tribute to the victims of the attacks, saying that his institution stood "alongside the Afghan people who reacted courageously in the face of these attacks by turning out to vote in spite of everything." (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)