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Bosniak member of the presidency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Croat member of the presidency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Serb member of the presidency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All 42 seats in the House of Representatives 22 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections are scheduled to be held in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 4 October 2026. They will decide the makeup of the presidency as well as national, entity and cantonal governments. [1]
On 26 March 2024, Christian Schmidt, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, issued a decree amending the country's Election Law to strengthen election integrity across the nation. In response, on 19 April, Republika Srpska adopted its own election law, which would establish a new entity-level election commission that would oversee all electoral processes within the entity. Milorad Dodik, Republika Srpska president, pledged that the entity would enforce its own Election Law in the 2026 general election. [2]
Following the 2022 election, a coalition led by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH) and the liberal alliance Troika reached an agreement on the formation of a new government, designating HDZ BiH deputy president Borjana Krišto as the new chairwoman of the Council of Ministers. [3]
In January 2025, Troika announced that it was rescinding its support for the coalition with the SNSD, following the latter failing to vote for two laws concentrated on European Union accession. [4] The legislation was ultimately passed with votes from the SNSD's opposition in Republika Srpska. [5] Since then, Krišto has been accused of intentionally ignoring the appointment of Troika-backed Republika Srpska opposition politician and outspoken Dodik critic Nebojša Vukanović as the new minister of security following the office's vacancy in January 2025. [6] Krišto's actions sparked up renewed stories of the SNSD's and HDZ BiH's long-standing relations. [7] Some opposition parties have called for Krišto's resignation and for a vote of no confidence. [8]
In February 2025, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was convicted by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a first-instance verdict and was sentenced to one year imprisonment, and was also banned from performing the duties of the president of Republika Srpska for six years due to anti-constitutional conduct. [9] Dodik refused to recognize the ruling and introduced laws barring federal law enforcement agencies from operating in Republika Srpska, prompting the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to issue arrest warrants against him and other senior officials of Republika Srpska in March 2025. [10] The court also requested the issuance of an international arrest warrant against Dodik and Republika Srpska National Assembly speaker Nenad Stevandić from Interpol. [11] Ultimately, Interpol rejected the request for the arrest warrant, deeming the persecution of Dodik and Stevandić as politically motivated. [12]
On 4 July 2025, Dodik voluntarily appeared before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. [13] The hearing was conducted following a motion submitted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Acting upon the motion, the Court issued a decision revoking the previously ordered arrest warrant against Dodik, replacing it with a precautionary measure only requiring him to report periodically to a designated state authority. [14]
On 1 August 2025, the first-instance verdict against Dodik from February of that year was confirmed by the court's Appellate panel. [15] On 6 August, the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered Dodik's removal as president of Republika Srpska, a decision which would take effect after an appeals period expired. [16] On 12 August, the Bosnian state court commuted his one year prison sentence to a fine of 36,500 Bosnian marks. [17] On 18 August, Dodik's appeal against the decision of the Central Election Commission was rejected and his mandate as Republika Srpska president was officially terminated, with the termination date marked as 12 June 2025, due to the Bosnian state court's verdict becoming legally binding on that day. [18] [19] The National Assembly of Republika Srpska rejected the court's decision and supported Dodik as the president. [20]
Consequently, the Central Election Commission announced that early presidential elections in Republika Srpska are scheduled to be held on 23 November 2025. [21] Dodik and the SNSD have refused to take part in the election, [22] while most of the opposition in Republika Srpska have decided to participate. [23]
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. [24] 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 House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Bosnian Parliament, has 42 members who are elected at entity level according to proportional representation. [25] Voters in the Brčko District are free to vote for the Republika Srpska or Federal constituency. [26] The Federation sends 28 representatives to parliament, while Republika Srpska send 14 of them. Of the 28 representatives of the Federation, 21 are elected in five multi-person constituencies (number of deputies 3-6), to ensure proportionality, seven compensatory mandates according to the Sainte-Laguë procedure. Of the 14 MPs of Republika Srpska, nine are elected in the constituencies (three MPs each) and five via entity-wide equalization mandates. [26] There is a three percent threshold at the entity level.
There is a list of candidates, whereby the candidate who gets the most votes (usually a Serb) is elected president; there is no runoff. The first-placed candidates from the other two ethnic groups (usually a Bosniak and a Croat) are elected as vice-presidents. The term of office of the President of Republika Srpska is four years with an option for one-time re-election. A renewed candidacy is possible again after a break of at least one term of office. [26]
The lower chamber of Republika Srpska, the National Assembly, is composed of 83 members elected by proportional representation. The election takes place in nine multi-person constituencies with entity-wide balancing mandates. Furthermore, at least four representatives should be represented in the National Assembly from each of the constitutive peoples. There is a three percent threshold. [26]
Unlike in Republika Srpska, the president of the Federation and the two vice-presidents are not elected by direct election: The first chamber of the Federal Parliament, the House of Peoples, nominates candidates for the presidency and the vice-presidencies, followed by the second chamber, the House of Representatives, must confirm this nomination by election. Subsequently, confirmation by the majority of the delegates of all three constitutive ethnic groups in the House of Peoples is required. [26]
The House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a total of 98 members who are elected by proportional representation. The election takes place in 12 multi-person constituencies with entity-wide balancing mandates. In the Federal House of Representatives, each constitutive ethnic group should be represented by at least four members. The threshold is three percent. [26]
The assemblies of the 10 cantons of the Federation are also elected. The election is based on proportional representation with a threshold of three percent. The individual cantonal assemblies send members to the House of Peoples. [26]
