The runoff election between incumbent President Hamid Karzai and his main challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah faces multiple challenges: Taliban intimidation, voter apathy and cynicism, increasingly harsh winter weather, and,most of all,a turnaround time of only two weeks.

VOA: standard.2009.10.28

The statisticians and analysts who build mathematical models based on multiple polls and other data absolutely nailed this election.

FORBES: The Election is Over, and the Math Geeks Won.

After the popular rejection of the proposed EU constitution in France and the Netherlands, the acrimonious break-up of budget talks in June, and multiple setbacks to economic reform (symbolised by the German election result), most European leaders were anxious for any budget settlement.

ECONOMIST: Another splendid compromise forged in Brussels | The

And whereas the Tories and Labour are making much of patient choice and multiple providers, the Lib Dems preferred to campaign at the last election on giving free long-term care to the elderly.

BBC: Can you spot the difference?