The Afghan parliament is to begin its winter recess¹ without waiting for President Karzai to fill vacancies² in nearly half of his cabinet.

阿富汗议会将撇开卡尔扎伊总统将近一半的内阁空缺而开始冬休。

Parliament has twice rejected Mr Karzai's nominations³

MPs will leave on Monday for a recess休息，休会 lasting⁴ until 20 February.

The delay will further delay Afghansistan's months of political uncertainty⁵ since contested竞争，争辩 elections.

It will also mean that President Karzai will appear at the London Conference on Afghanistan later this month with 11 of his 25 cabinet seats still vacant空缺的.

Parliament has twice rejected many of Mr Karzai's nominations for a new cabinet, forcing the president to direct deputy ministers or other caretaker临时代理的 figures to run their ministries⁶.

"We'll introduce new members after they come back from their recess," the president's spokesman, Waheed Omar, told reporters.

Members have voted to cut their winter recess to 33 days from the original 45 because they must debate the national budget as well as consider the new cabinet nominees⁷, MP Shukria Barakzai said.

Mr Karzai's lists have raised eyebrows⁸惊讶，不同意 for including names linked to warlords军阀 and known human rights abusers.

There is speculation⁹ that the president is failing to name competent能干的，胜任的 ministers but instead favouring regional bosses who helped him in the fraud-marred¹⁰ election.

Confirming the cabinet is the first big test for Mr Karzai since his re-election last August.

His return to power in a vote marred by fraud has damaged his standing¹¹ at home and abroad.

And another parliamentary election looms¹², due to be held on 22 May this year, according to the president's spokesman.