Bosnia election: Dodik declares party victory as Cvijanović leads presidency race

Bosnian Serb nationalist Milorad Dodik has declared victory for his party in Bosnia and Herzegovina's general election, after a vote shaped by economic pressure, ethnic tensions and the country's stalled path towards the European Union. With nearly 90% of votes counted, his ally Željka Cvijanović of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats was leading for one of the three seats in the tripartite presidency. Dodik also said his party would hold a "vast majority" in the assembly of Republika Srpska.

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According to the supplied count, Cvijanović had more than 55% of the vote and was ahead of her nearest opponent by about 30 percentage points. Dodik made his remarks at a news conference late on Sunday, despite not appearing on the ballot himself. He said the result showed his party had "smashed it" and credited Donald Trump's 2024 election win and support from Vladimir Putin.

The result is significant because Bosnia's political system remains built around the 1995 peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 war. The election covered the country's three-member presidency, national parliament and the leadership of its two entities, with about 3.4 million voters eligible. The vote also comes after Dodik was barred from public office following a conviction for defying the international envoy who oversees the peace deal, making his continued influence a central issue in the campaign.

The contest has again highlighted the country's ethnic divisions, with Bosniak, Croat and Serb parties competing in separate political blocs. With more than 94% of votes counted, Darijana Filipović of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina was also leading for the Croat seat, while incumbent Bosniak member Denis Bećirović was ahead of Bakir Izetbegović. The early results suggest nationalist parties remain dominant in a system designed to balance the interests of Bosnia's main communities.

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The election also carries wider implications for Bosnia's European future. The country received EU candidate status in December 2022, but accession talks have been delayed amid demands for stronger anti-corruption measures and judicial reform. That makes the outcome relevant not only to domestic power-sharing, but also to the pace of reform and the country's relations with Brussels.

What remains unclear is how the final count will compare with the early figures and whether any further administrative or technical problems will affect confidence in the result. It is also not yet clear how Dodik's declared victory will translate into formal control of institutions in Republika Srpska and at state level. Attention will now turn to the final results, any official confirmation from election authorities and the next steps in forming governing coalitions.

Polls opened in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday in a general election that will choose the three members of the presidency, national lawmakers and leaders of the country's two entities. The vote is being held across a complex political system built to manage ethnic divisions after the 1992-95 war, and it carries significance for the country's stalled European Union bid. About 3.4 million voters are eligible to take part.

Early reports said voting was delayed at several polling places because of problems with new digital voting technology. Officials introduced electronic voter identification and ballot scanning for the first time in an effort to reduce vote tampering and organised manipulation. Polls are due to close at 7 pm local time, and the early technical problems have already raised questions about how smoothly the new system will work on election day.

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The contest covers the Muslim-majority Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska, as well as national institutions. The supporting material says many voters remain frustrated by low living standards and the departure of young people, while most of the 75 parties contesting the election are organised along ethnic lines. That underlines how deeply identity politics still shapes public life in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The result matters beyond domestic governance because the country is still operating under the framework created by the US-brokered 1995 peace agreement. The EU granted Bosnia candidate status in December 2022, but accession negotiations scheduled for 2024 were delayed after Brussels demanded stronger anti-corruption laws and judicial reform. The vote therefore has implications for both the country's internal balance and its wider European trajectory.

Campaigning has also been shaped by Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian former president of Republika Srpska, even though he is not on the ballot. He has been banned from public office after being convicted of defying the international envoy who oversees the peace agreement. His party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, is expected to do well in Republika Srpska, and his recent meeting with Russia's president in Moscow has added to the political weight of his role in the campaign.

Bosniak nationalist forces have campaigned on keeping Bosnia united against Serb separatism, while many Bosnian Croats back ethnic parties such as the local branch of Croatia's ruling Croatian Democratic Union. The Party of Democratic Action is seeking to defend its position as the largest Bosniak party, with its leader Bakir Izetbegovic seeking a third term as president of the centre-right SDA. What remains unclear is whether the early technical delays will affect turnout or confidence in the count, and whether the new digital tools will reduce the irregularities that have troubled previous elections.

Attention will now turn to the closing of polls, the first results and any further reports of technical or administrative problems.

Polls opened on Sunday in Bosnia and Herzegovina's general election, with voters choosing the three members of the presidency, national lawmakers and leaders of the country's two entities. Early reports said voting was delayed at several polling places because of problems with new digital voting technology. The election is taking place across a complex political system designed to manage the country's ethnic divisions after the 1992-95 war.

About 3.4 million people are eligible to vote in a contest that also covers the Muslim-majority Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska. Officials introduced electronic voter identification and ballot scanning for the first time in an effort to reduce vote tampering and organised manipulation. Polls are due to close at 7 pm local time, and the early technical problems have already raised questions about how smoothly the new system will work on election day.

The vote comes at a time when many citizens say daily life has improved little, while politicians continue to rely on nationalist rhetoric. The supporting material says some voters remain frustrated by low living standards and the departure of young people. It also notes that most of the 75 parties contesting the election are organised along ethnic lines, underlining how deeply identity politics still shapes the country's public life.

That makes the result significant not only for domestic governance but also for the wider stability of a state still governed by the framework created by the US-brokered 1995 peace agreement. The campaign has also been shaped by Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian former president of Republika Srpska, even though he is not on the ballot. He has been banned from public office after being convicted of defying the international envoy who oversees the peace agreement.

His party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, is expected to do well in Republika Srpska, and his recent meeting with Russia's president in Moscow has added to the political weight of his role in the campaign. The final rally in Banja Luka was attended by Russia's ambassador, according to the supplied material. Bosniak nationalist forces have campaigned on keeping Bosnia united against Serb separatism, while many Bosnian Croats back ethnic parties such as the local branch of Croatia's ruling Croatian Democratic Union.

The Party of Democratic Action is seeking to defend its position as the largest Bosniak party, with its leader Bakir Izetbegovic seeking a third term as president of the centre-right SDA. The election therefore reflects not only a contest over offices, but also a broader struggle over the country's direction, its ethnic balance and its stalled path towards the European Union. What remains unclear is whether the early technical delays will affect turnout or confidence in the count, and whether the new digital tools will reduce the irregularities that have troubled previous elections.

The outcome will also show how far nationalist parties can continue to dominate politics in a country where many voters say the same problems persist from one election to the next. Attention will now turn to the closing of polls, the first results and any further reports of technical or administrative problems. The broader question is whether the vote can produce a more stable political environment or deepen existing divisions.

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