FACTBOX: Reactions to Karzai's re-election as Afghan president

Nov 2 - Afghanistan's election commission declared Hamid Karzai re-elected as president on Monday after it canceled a run-off following the withdrawal of his only challenger.

The run-off, called after the first round in August was marred by widespread fraud, was to have been held on November 7.

Following are views and reactions:

* GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER GUIDO WESTERWELL:

"The challenges the new president faces are immense: reconstruction, security, the fight against corruption. We expect him to be determined in tackling these issues. We also expect him to work hard to unite the different factions of Afghan society and to be the president of all Afghans.

FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER BERNARD KOUCHNER said he would support "a system where Karzai and his chief adversary, Abdullah, work together. I believe that would be a clear progress toward peace."

* NORINE MACDONALD, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

ON SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT:

"Not only are the citizens of NATO countries with forces fighting here supposed to buy into this hastily cobbled together sham, apparently the Afghan people are as well."

* U.S. EMBASSY IN KABUL:

"The United States government welcomes the decision by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to conclude Afghanistan's electoral process by forgoing a second round of balloting.

"We congratulate President Karzai on his victory in this historic election and look forward to working with him ... We also congratulate Dr Abdullah and all the other candidates for their efforts to strengthen Afghanistan's democratic future."

* UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON:

"I welcome today's decision by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission to forgo a run-off vote and to declare Hamid Karzai as the winner of the 2009 presidential elections. I congratulate President Karzai.

"This has been a difficult election process for Afghanistan and lessons must be learned. Afghanistan now faces significant challenges and the new President must move swiftly to form a government that is able to command the support of both the Afghan people and the international community."

* BRITISH GOVERNMENT:

"The government welcomes the decision by the Independent Electoral Commission. The prime minister has spoken to President Karzai to congratulate him on his re-election. They discussed the importance of the president moving quickly to set out a unifying programme for the future of Afghanistan."

* HAROUN MIR, KABUL-BASED POLITICAL ANALYST:

"Karzai has lost his legitimacy, he is a very weak president and he cannot govern without reaching out to Dr Abdullah. So the ball is in Dr Abdullah's court right now."

* WESTERN OFFICIAL BASED IN KABUL WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED: "The credibility of the Karzai government is not going to be simply decided by this election, it will now be decided by the actions the president takes over the coming days and weeks.

"The first test will be the formation of his cabinet. If he is serious about reform we need to see that." (Reporting by Golnar Motevalli and Yara Bayoumy; Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold in BERLIN and Sophie Hardach in PARIS; Editing by Paul Tait)