IV.

Leader of Afghanistan

On December 22 Karzai was sworn in as interim prime minister of Afghanistan, having been chosen for the role by Afghan factions participating in United Nations-sponsored negotiations earlier that month. While the power of the interim government was largely confined to Kābul, and U.S.-led bombing continued in many areas, Karzai strove to secure international aid for the postwar reconstruction of Afghanistan. In June 2002 a special loya jirga, comprising more than 1,500 Afghan representatives, voted overwhelmingly to appoint Karzai transitional head of state. His transitional government was charged with leading the country for up to two years and preparing it for its first democratic election.

Afghanistan held its presidential election on October 9, 2004. Karzai won 55.4 percent of the vote, easily beating 15 other candidates in the first round of voting. His victory was officially announced on November 3, after a UN-led investigation found no significant affect of reported voting irregularities on the outcome of the election. Karzai announced he would use his new mandate to try to unite a country long divided by ethnic, religious, and regional rivalries.