Voters in Bosnia and Herzegovina are choosing a three-member presidency, state lawmakers and entity leaders on Sunday, with former Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik still dominating the campaign despite a ban on holding office.
Voters in Bosnia and Herzegovina went to the polls on Sunday to elect the three members of the state presidency, lawmakers for the national parliament, and leaders of the country's two entities. The Associated Press reported that polls were due to open at 7 a.m. local time and that about 3.4 million people were eligible to vote.
The contest fills offices created by the 1995 US-brokered Dayton peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 war. Voters are also choosing the president and legislature of Republika Srpska and seats in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's assembly. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is observing the 4 October general elections.
The campaign has been dominated by Milorad Dodik, the nationalist former president of Republika Srpska, even though he is not on the ballot. AP reported that Dodik has been banned from holding public office after a conviction for defying decisions of the international envoy who oversees the peace agreement, and that he has continued to inflame ethnic divisions.
AFP described wartime divides as a driver of the campaigns. AP said many voters were focused on everyday problems while some mainstream politicians revived war-era tensions that have kept the country divided.
Results will determine who sits on the tripartite presidency and who leads Republika Srpska. No official outcome had been reported in the early hours of voting.
People Sentiments Mixed
- AP reported voters were focused on everyday problems
- Some mainstream politicians revived war-era tensions, AP said
- Dodik remained the central figure of the campaign despite not appearing on the ballot