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Mon 19 Oct, 2009 10:15 pm
1) Runoff = runoff election = final election for presidency?
2) set to concede = had to officically concede?
Context:
Afghan Leader Said to Accept Runoff After Election Audit
By SABRINA TAVERNISE and HELENE COOPER
Under heavy international pressure, President Hamid Karzai appears set to concede that he fell short of a first-round victory in the nation’s disputed election.
Military Memo: As Obama Deliberates, Frustration Builds
A runoff in politics generally mean several people were vying for a position, whether that be in one riding/district or the leadership of a political party ( Obama and Clinton were rivals for the democratic party, she conceded defeat after the final leadership race). Frequently, a contender will be 'set to concede' defeat before the final battle because the writing is on the wall, or it's obvious they didn't get enough votes.
"set to" is a phrase which means "preparing to".
@oristarA,
To clarify a runoff, if several candidates are running for a position and none of them receive a majority (50%) in the election, the top two candidates enter a "runoff" so that one of them can seek a majority. Karzai would not have to run in a runoff if he had received 50% of the vote as originally thought.