Bosnia Holds General Election, Major Decision Awaited on Path to EU Membership

International Desk | PNN

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are voting in a general election to choose new leadership. Voting began on Sunday (October 4) to elect representatives to important national and regional positions. With around 3.4 million registered voters, the outcome of the election could influence not only the country’s political future but also its efforts to join the European Union (EU).

The election is expected to determine the three members of the country’s tripartite presidency, lawmakers in the national parliament and representatives for various important positions in the two autonomous entities—the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska.

Bosnia’s current system of government is extremely complex. It was created through a peace agreement brokered by the United States in 1995 after the devastating war that lasted from 1992 to 1995. One of its main objectives is to maintain a balance of power among the country’s three major ethnic groups: Bosniak Muslims, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats.

During the campaign ahead of the election, old ethnic divisions and memories of the war once again became prominent. This has caused frustration among some voters.

Speaking to AFP before the vote in the northern Bosnian city of Tuzla, 34-year-old activist Adi Selman said he did not expect the new election to bring any major changes. In his view, the same political parties that have remained active for three decades are once again trying to win votes by bringing up the war, tensions, divisions and issues from the past.

Meanwhile, Milorad Dodik, former president of Republika Srpska and one of the most influential figures in Serb nationalist politics, strongly criticized Bosnia’s state system at the final election rally of his party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), ahead of the election. He described the country as an “impossible” state.

His party is known for its separatist position in Republika Srpska. As a result, the election outcome could affect the country’s internal balance of power as well as relations between the central government and the Serb-dominated region.

The issue of European Union membership has also become a major factor in this year’s Bosnian election. Bosniak parties in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have supported a comparatively stronger central state.

Current Bosniak presidency member Denis Becirovic has promised to further strengthen the country’s relations with the EU and NATO.

In December 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted EU candidate status. However, plans to formally begin membership negotiations in 2024 did not move forward. Brussels has emphasized the need to fulfill various conditions, including strengthening anti-corruption measures and carrying out necessary judicial reforms.

Meanwhile, Croatian nationalist parties in the country are demanding changes to the electoral system. In particular, they are seeking greater influence for the Croatian community in the election of members of the presidency.

Russia, meanwhile, has been accused of slowing Bosnia’s journey toward EU membership. There are also concerns over the close relationship between Moscow and the SNSD in Republika Srpska.

Another important feature of this election is the use of new technology in the voting process. For the first time across the country, biometric fingerprint identification for voter verification and ballot-scanning technology are being used.

Officials concerned said the technology has been introduced to reduce electoral fraud and increase transparency in the voting process.

Voting is scheduled to end at 7:00pm local time on Sunday. Vote counting will then begin, with preliminary results expected to be announced later that night.

However, after the results are announced, international observers will be watching not only to see who forms the government but also whether the country’s ethnic divisions are reduced, which direction relations between the central and regional governments take, and how far Bosnia’s long journey toward EU membership progresses.