2018 Bosnian general election

2018 Bosnian general election
Turnout	54.02% (presidential) 0.45 pp ; 54.03% (parliamentary) 0.44 pp
	Bosniak member of the Presidency
	Croat member of the Presidency
	Serb member of the Presidency
	Results of the presidential elections (from left to right: Bosniak, Croat, Serb.) Darker shade indicates a larger share of the vote for the indicated candidate.
Presidency members before election; Bakir Izetbegović (Bosniak); Dragan Čović (Croat); Mladen Ivanić (Serb); Contents Electoral system ; Results ; Presidency ; House of Representatives ; Reactions ; See also ; Further reading ; References ; External links ;	Elected Presidency members; Šefik Džaferović (Bosniak); Željko Komšić (Croat); Milorad Dodik (Serb);
	House of Representatives
	All 42 seats in the House of Representatives ; 22 seats needed for a majority
Denis Zvizdić ; SDA	Zoran Tegeltija ; SNSD

Last updated December 15, 2023

General elections were held in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 7 October 2018. They decided the makeup of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Presidency as well as national, entity and cantonal governments. Voter turnout was 54%.

The elections for the House of Representatives were divided into two; one for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and one for Republika Srpska. In the presidential election, voters in the Federation elected Bosniak Šefik Džaferović and Croat Željko Komšić, while voters in Republika Srpska elected Serb Milorad Dodik.

The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives, winning 9 of the 42 seats. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) came in second with 6 seats, while the Social Democratic Party won 5 seats, up two from the previous general election in 2014; the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH) also ended up with 5 seats. The Serb Democratic Party and the Democratic Front (DF) each won three seats. The election also saw a significant decline of the Union for a Better Future, going from 8.71% of the popular vote down to 4.16%, enough for two seats.

After a one year governmental formation crisis following the election, in December 2019, a coalition led by the SDA, the SNSD and the HDZ BiH, which also included the DF and the Democratic People's Alliance, formed a new government headed by the SNSD's Zoran Tegeltija.

Electoral system

The three members of the Presidency are elected by plurality. In Republika Srpska voters elect the Serb representative, whilst in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina voters elect the Bosniak and Croat members.^[1] Voters registered in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina can vote for either the Bosniak or Croat candidate, but cannot vote in both elections.

The 42 members of the House of Representatives are elected by open list proportional representation in two constituencies, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.^[2] These two constituencies are subsequently divided in eight electoral units.

A total of 3,352,933 citizens were registered to vote; 2,092,336 in the Federation and 1,260,597 in Republika Srpska (citizens living in Brčko District voted in one of the entities). There were 77,814 persons registered to vote outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina, out of which 76,729 persons were registered to vote by mail and 1,085 were registered to vote at diplomatic missions.

Results

Turnout at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina was 53.36%; the Federation 51.25%; Republika Srpska 57.30% and Brčko District 46.81%. The percentage was slightly lower as compared to 2014 that was 54.14%. The Bosnian Central Election Commission (CEC) reported that all 5,714 polling stations closed down in time or with slight delay. According to the initial assessment by the CEC, the elections passed in an overall calm and peaceful atmosphere.^{[ citation needed ]}

Presidency

The elected members of the national Presidency were Šefik Džaferović (Bosniak, SDA), Željko Komšić (Croat, DF) and Milorad Dodik (Serb, SNSD). There was controversy over the election of the Croat member, as the non-nationalist candidate Željko Komšić (Democratic Front) won against the nationalist Dragan Čović (HDZ BiH) with the help of Bosniak voters, with Komšić winning first place almost exclusively in municipalities without a Croat relative majority. The result prompted protests of Croats accusing Bosniaks of out-voting and calling for the creation of their own entity or electoral constituency. In the following days, protests were held in Mostar with signs "Not my president".^[3]^[4] In the days following election, several municipalities with Croat majority declared Komšić persona non grata.^[5]^[6]


Candidate		Party	Votes	%
Bosniak member
	Šefik Džaferović	Party of Democratic Action	212,581	36.61
	Denis Bećirović	Social Democratic Party	194,688	33.53
	Fahrudin Radončić	Union for a Better Future	75,210	12.95
	Mirsad Hadžikadić	Platform for Progress	58,555	10.09
	Senad Šepić	Independent Bloc	29,922	5.15
	Amer Jerlagić	Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina	9,655	1.66
Total			580,611	100.00
Croat member
	Željko Komšić	Democratic Front	225,500	52.64
	Dragan Čović	Croatian Democratic Union	154,819	36.14
	Diana Zelenika	Croatian Democratic Union 1990	25,890	6.04
	Boriša Falatar	Our Party	16,036	3.74
	Jerko Ivanković Lijanović	People's Party Work for Prosperity	6,099	1.42
Total			428,344	100.00
Serb member
	Milorad Dodik	Alliance of Independent Social Democrats	368,210	53.88
	Mladen Ivanić	Alliance for Victory (SDS–PDP–NDP–SRS RS–SRS VS)	292,065	42.74
	Mirjana Popović	Serb Progressive Party	12,731	1.86
	Gojko Kličković	First Serb Democratic Party	10,355	1.52
Total			683,361	100.00

Valid votes			1,692,316	93.37
Invalid/blank votes			120,259	6.63
Total votes			1,812,575	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			3,355,429	54.02
Source: CEC

House of Representatives



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Party of Democratic Action	281,731	17.01	9	–1
	Alliance of Independent Social Democrats	265,593	16.03	6	0
	SDS–NDP–NS–SRS	162,414	9.80	3	–2
	Social Democratic Party	150,454	9.08	5	2
	HDZ–HSS–HSP–HSP AS–HKDU	149,872	9.05	5	1
	Democratic Front–Civic Alliance	96,174	5.81	3	–2
	Party of Democratic Progress	83,832	5.06	2	1
	Democratic People's Alliance	69,289	4.18	1	0
	Union for a Better Future	68,993	4.16	2	–2
	Our Party	48,401	2.92	2	2
	Independent Bloc	41,512	2.51	1	New
	Movement of Democratic Action	38,417	2.32	1	New
	Socialist Party	31,321	1.89	1	1
	Party of Democratic Activity	30,482	1.84	1	0
	HDZ 1990–HSP	28,962	1.75	0	0
	People and Justice	23,381	1.41	0	New
	Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina	17,830	1.08	0	0
	Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party	16,433	0.99	0	–1
	Independent Bosnian-Herzegovinian List	12,505	0.75	0	New
	Labour Party	7,734	0.47	0	0
	First Serb Democratic Party	7,513	0.45	0	New
	Pensioners' Party	7,185	0.43	0	New
	Bosnian Party	5,771	0.35	0	0
	Serb Progressive Party	4,750	0.29	0	0
	Union for New Politics	2,109	0.13	0	New
	Croatian Party BiH	1,095	0.07	0	New
	Liberal Democratic Party	1,833	0.11	0	New
	The Left Wing	930	0.06	0	New
Total		1,656,516	100.00	42	0

Valid votes		1,656,516	91.37
Invalid/blank votes		156,444	8.63
Total votes		1,812,960	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		3,355,429	54.03
Source: CEC

By entity


Party		Federation			Republika Srpska			Total seats
Party		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Total seats
	Party of Democratic Action	252,058	25.48	8	29,673	4.45	1	9
	Alliance of Independent Social Democrats	4,663	0.47	0	260,930	39.10	6	6
	SDS–NDP–NS–SRS				162,414	24.34	3	3
	Social Democratic Party	140,782	14.23	5	9,672	1.45	0	5
	HDZ–HSS–HSP–HSP AS–HKDU	145,487	14.71	5	4,385	0.66	0	5
	Democratic Front–Civic Alliance	96,174	9.72	3				3
	Party of Democratic Progress				83,832	12.56	2	2
	Democratic People's Alliance	652	0.07	0	68,637	10.29	1	1
	Union for a Better Future	67,599	6.83	2	1,394	0.21	0	2
	Our Party	48,401	4.89	2				2
	Independent Bloc	41,512	4.20	1				1
	Movement of Democratic Action	38,417	3.88	1				1
	Socialist Party				31,321	4.69	1	1
	Party of Democratic Activity	29,726	3.01	1	756	0.11	0	1
	HDZ 1990–HSP	28,962	2.93	0				0
	People and Justice	23,381	2.36	0				0
	Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina	17,830	1.80	0				0
	Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party	16,433	1.66	0				0
	Independent Bosnian-Herzegovinian List	12,505	1.26	0				0
	Labour Party	7,734	0.78	0				0
	First Serb Democratic Party				7,513	1.13	0	0
	Pensioners' Party	7,185	0.73	0				0
	Bosnian Party	5,771	0.58	0				0
	Serb Progressive Party				4,750	0.71	0	0
	Union for New Politics	728	0.07	0	1,381	0.21	0	0
	Croatian Party BiH	1,095	0.11	0				0
	Liberal Democratic Party	1,833	0.19	0				0
	The Left Wing	264	0.03	0	666	0.10	0	0
Total		989,192	100.00	28	667,324	100.00	14	42

Valid votes		989,192	91.17		667,324	91.67
Invalid/blank votes		95,844	8.83		60,600	8.33
Total votes		1,085,036	100.00		727,924	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,093,784	51.82		1,261,645	57.70
Source: CEC

Reactions

Following the results and Željko Komšić's election to the Presidency, largely due to votes in majority Bosniak areas, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who endorsed the incumbent Presidency member Dragan Čović, criticized Komšić's victory: "We are again in a situation where members of one constituent people ... are electing a representative of another, the Croat people".^[7] Komšić responded that the Croatian Government is undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina and its sovereignty.^[8]

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References

↑ Maja Sahadžic (2009) The Electoral System of Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Short Review of Political Matter and/or Technical Perplexion Contemporary Issues, Vol. 2, No. 1
↑ Electoral System IPU
↑ "Croats protest against election of moderate in Bosnia's presidency". Reuters. 12 October 2018.
↑ Mladen Lakic (3 May 2013). "Bosnian Croats Protest Against Komsic's Election Victory". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
↑ "I Čitluk prekrižio Komšića".
↑ "STUDENTI SVEUČILIŠTA U MOSTARU KOMŠIĆA PROGLASILI NEPOŽELJNIM 'Takve nas stvari ne zanimaju od nekoga tko se lažno predstavlja kao Hrvat' - Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. Reuters. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
↑ Mladen Lakic (12 October 2018). "Bosnian Croats Protest Against Komsic's Election Victory". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
↑ "Komšić Accuses Croatia of Undermining Bosnia and Its Sovereignty". Total Croatia News. 11 December 2018.

External links

Central Election Committee BiH

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[1] Maja Sahadžic (2009) The Electoral System of Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Short Review of Political Matter and/or Technical Perplexion Contemporary Issues, Vol. 2, No. 1

[2] Electoral System IPU

[3] "Croats protest against election of moderate in Bosnia's presidency". Reuters. 12 October 2018.

[4] Mladen Lakic (3 May 2013). "Bosnian Croats Protest Against Komsic's Election Victory". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 14 October 2018.

[5] "I Čitluk prekrižio Komšića".

[6] "STUDENTI SVEUČILIŠTA U MOSTARU KOMŠIĆA PROGLASILI NEPOŽELJNIM 'Takve nas stvari ne zanimaju od nekoga tko se lažno predstavlja kao Hrvat' - Jutarnji List". Jutarnji.hr. Reuters. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.

[7] Mladen Lakic (12 October 2018). "Bosnian Croats Protest Against Komsic's Election Victory". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 15 January 2019.

[8] "Komšić Accuses Croatia of Undermining Bosnia and Its Sovereignty". Total Croatia News. 11 December 2018.

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v t e Elections and referendums in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Presidential elections	1990 1996 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Parliamentary elections	1910 1990 1996 1998 2000 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Municipal elections	1990 1997 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Referendums	1992
See also: Elections in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Republika Srpska Yugoslavia