Bosnia and Herzegovina general election, 2010
Encyclopedia
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...

 on 3 October 2010 for both the Federal government and the two entities
Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina were created by the Dayton Agreement, which recognized a second tier of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina comprising two entities—a joint Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska -- each presiding over roughly one half of...

.

Voters elected 42 deputies to the State House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina , is one of the two chambers of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the other being the House of Peoples of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe house of representatives of BiH consists of 42 members which are elected by...

. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...

 (FBiH), 98 deputies to its House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the legislative body of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

, two representatives (one Bosniak, one Croat) to the tripartite state presidency
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Overview:...

 and ten cantonal assemblies were elected. In Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 (RS), 83 deputies to its National Assembly, the Serb representative of the tripartite state presidency, one RS president and two RS vice-presidents were elected. There were 39 political parties, 11 coalitions, and 13 independent candidates.

Background

After the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...

 and the Dayton Accords that ended the war, the constitution
Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the highest legal document of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The current Constitution is the Annex 4 of The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995...

 set out, in Article V, a tripartite rotational presidency between the Bosniak, Croat and Serb entities. Each president serves a four-year term, with the chairman of the presidential council rotation every 8 months, with the first president being the one with most votes in the election.

Presidency

There are three candidates for the Bosniak member of the Presidency: the incumbent Haris Silajdžić
Haris Silajdžic
Haris Silajdžić is a Bosnian politician and academic. In the 2006 elections, Silajdžić was elected as the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for four years in the rotating presidency.He was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia.- Political career:From 1990...

, of Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a liberal conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Haris Silajdžić. On the issues of the internal divisions of Bosnia, SBiH wants to eliminate two entities, and establish a "one man-one vote political system" in an unified...

, the owner of Dnevni Avaz Fahrudin Radončić
Fahrudin Radoncic
Fahrudin Radončić, , is a Bosniak businessman and politician. Radončić's Dnevni Avaz is a widely circulated daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Career :Radončić was raised in the town of Plav in Montenegro...

, of Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party was founded in September 2009 by Fahrudin Radončić, the founder and owner of Dnevni Avaz, the largest daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party has yet to establish a political program and...

 and Bakir Izetbegović
Bakir Izetbegovic
Bakir Izetbegović is a Bosniak politician. Izetbegović is a member of the Party of Democratic Action and son of the late Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegović. In 2010, he was elected to be the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Career:Izetbegović graduated with a degree in...

 of the Party of Democratic Action
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...

 and the son of Alija Izetbegović
Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegović was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served in this role until 1996, when he became a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until 2000...

, the founding president of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Croat candidate was: incumbent Željko Komšić
Željko Komšic
Željko Komšić is a Bosniaks politician from the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.On 1 October 2006, he was elected by Bosnikas as the representatives of Croat to a four-year term as the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Early life and the war in Bosnia:Komšić has a law degree...

 from Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic social-democratic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is the successor of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was enlarged by the inclusion of the Socijaldemokrati BiH party to the original...

, who was elected in 2006 when large numbers of Bosniaks voted for him rather than voting for a Bosniak candidate.

The Serb candidate was: incumbent Nebojša Radmanović
Nebojša Radmanovic
Nebojša Radmanović is a Bosnian Serb politician. He finished his schooling in Banja Luka, before going on to study at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy...

 of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, who was expected to win.

Parties

Bosniak:
  • Party of Democratic Action
    Party of Democratic Action
    The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...

     (SDA)
  • Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
    The Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a liberal conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Haris Silajdžić. On the issues of the internal divisions of Bosnia, SBiH wants to eliminate two entities, and establish a "one man-one vote political system" in an unified...

     (SBiH)
  • Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party-Sefer Halilović (BPS)


Croat:
  • Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....

     (HDZ BiH)
  • Croatian Democratic Union 1990
    Croatian Democratic Union 1990
    The Croatian Democratic Union 1990 is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It split of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by Božo Ljubić. In the 2006 it was the leading member of the Croats Together coalition....

     (HDZ 1990)
  • Croatian Party of Rights
    Croatian Party of Rights (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina is parlamentary party in Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents ideology of dr. Ante Starčević. Main goals of the HSP BiH are changes of Treaty of Dayton and division of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to territorial regions.-History:HSP BiH was...

     (HSP BiH)


Serb:
  • Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD)
  • Serbian Democratic Party (SDS)
  • Democratic People's Alliance
    Democratic People's Alliance
    The Democratic People's Alliance is a political party in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 October 2002, the party won seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 3 out of 83...

     (DNS)


Multi-ethnic:
  • Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic social-democratic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is the successor of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was enlarged by the inclusion of the Socijaldemokrati BiH party to the original...

     (SDP BiH)
  • Union for a Better Future of BiH
    Union for a Better Future of BiH
    Union for a Better Future of BiH is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party was founded in September 2009 by Fahrudin Radončić, the founder and owner of Dnevni Avaz, the largest daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party has yet to establish a political program and...

     (SBB BiH)

Campaign

Following the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...

's opinion that Kosovo's declaration of independence
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence was adopted on 17 February 2008 by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo acting in personal capacity and not binding to the Assembly itself...

 did not violate international law Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

's Prime Minister Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...

 said there would be repercussions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the issue would be discussed in depth after the elections. During his campaign Dodik reiterated support for the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina and denied that the massacre
Srebrenica massacre
The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, refers to the July 1995 killing, during the Bosnian War, of more than 8,000 Bosniaks , mainly men and boys, in and around the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska under the command of...

 in Srebrenica
Srebrenica
Srebrenica is a town and municipality in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska. Srebrenica is a small mountain town, its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War, the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre,...

 constituted a genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...

. Boris Tadić
Boris Tadic
Boris Tadić is the President of Serbia and leader of the Democratic Party. He was elected to a five-year term on 27 June 2004, and was sworn into office on 11 July. He was re-elected for a de facto second five-year term on 3 February 2008 and was sworn in on 15 February...

, president of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

, expressed his support for Dodik, Tadić stated that he was "here to support my friends who run RS in the best possible way". He was later criticised by the SDA for supporting "a man who openly denies genocide in Srebrenica and calls for secession of Republika Srpska."

The Croat and Bosniak candidates were "strong supporters of a unified Bosnia," while Serb candidate advocated the separation of the Bosnian Serbs entity from the rest of the country. Dodik asserted that "Only the Serb Republic is self-sustaining, Bosnia-Herzegovina is not." He had a "strategic partnership" with the Croat nationalist Dragan Čović
Dragan Covic
Dragan Čović is a Croat politician from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Čović is the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently Čović is under indictment from the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for misuse of office.-Career:Čović worked for the airplane...

 to support each others' calls for greater independence or autonomy as the Croatian side advocated. The Bosniaks, however, said would fight for a united Bosnia, and sought a stronger federal government - a key condition for European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 membership.

These polls were described as the most crucial since the civil war as a lot of campaigning focused on ethnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism
Ethnic nationalism is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation" is defined in terms of ethnicity. Whatever specific ethnicity is involved, ethnic nationalism always includes some element of descent from previous generations and the implied claim of ethnic essentialism, i.e...

 and voting for candidates of the same ethnicity. One political analyst, compared this campaign to that of 1990, before the partition of Yugoslavia, when Bosnia had the choice of becoming a part of greater Serbia
Greater Serbia
The term Greater Serbia or Great Serbia applies to the Serbian nationalist and irredentist ideology directed towards the creation of a Serbian land which would incorporate all regions of traditional significance to the Serbian nation...

 or an independent multi-ethnic country pointed out that "for exactly 20 years we have been spinning around in the same political pattern."

The official campaign started on September 3, and lasted for next 30 days. Hate speech in the election campaign in BiH has become a normal occurrence. Because of that, Central Election Commission announced that they will not tolerate any form of hate speech. Nervousness of political parties was manifested through the violation of the Election Law of BiH, and particularly through the manipulation of so-called public opinion research and publication in the form of paid advertising. The first phase of the media war waged mainly through portals and news releases.

The campaign was significant because politicians were allowed to "use all their weapons" in publicity. Experts stated that this campaign was something new in Bosnia and Herzegovina because it was creative as opposed to the earlier campaigns.
  • Our Party
    Our Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    Our Party is a multi-ethnical political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is led by Denis Gratz. One of the party's founders is the Academy Awards-winning film director Danis Tanović...

     (NS) - Election campaign of the coalition of the Our Party nad New Socialist Party - Zdravko Kršmanović started on September 3 by laying a wreath at the memorial area of Donja Gradina, at the Jasenovac concentration camp
    Jasenovac concentration camp
    Jasenovac concentration camp was the largest extermination camp in the Independent State of Croatia and occupied Yugoslavia during World War II...

    .

  • Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) - They started their election campaign with advertisements and election rallies in Banja Luka.

  • Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) - SNSD started election campaign at noon of September 3 on Squer of Krajina in Banja Luka
    Banja Luka
    -History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...

     with simbolic sticking of their first propaganda poster. President of the SNSD and candidat for president of Republika Srpska
    Republika Srpska
    Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

     Milorad Dodik
    Milorad Dodik
    Milorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...

     and president of Executive Board of SNSD and candidate for member of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nebojša Radmanović
    Nebojša Radmanovic
    Nebojša Radmanović is a Bosnian Serb politician. He finished his schooling in Banja Luka, before going on to study at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy...

     had stick that first propaganda poster.

  • Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....

     (HDZBiH) - President of the party, prof. dr. sc. Dragan Čović
    Dragan Covic
    Dragan Čović is a Croat politician from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Čović is the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently Čović is under indictment from the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for misuse of office.-Career:Čović worked for the airplane...

     hung out with the most socially vulnerable members of population. He stated that his party wants to emphasize the social care for people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially between Croats. Candidate for memeer of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Krišto
    Borjana Krišto
    Borjana Krišto is a Bosnian Croat politician, affiliated with the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She is the former president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - one of two political entities to compose Bosnia and Herzegovina - from February 22, 2007 to March 17, 2011...

     started her official campaign on September 3 from her birth town Livno
    Livno
    Livno is a town in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located between Tomislavgrad, Glamoč, Bosansko Grahovo, Kupres and the Croatian border.- Position :...

    . In the morning she laid a wreath at the Memorial Center in the Donji Rujani
    Donji Rujani
    Donji Rujani is a village in the municipality of Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...

    , and at noon she addressed to the citizens at King Tomislav's Square in Livno
    Livno
    Livno is a town in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located between Tomislavgrad, Glamoč, Bosansko Grahovo, Kupres and the Croatian border.- Position :...

    , then she hung out with the assembled multitude. At the presence of many citizens, friends and members of her family she stated that her start of election campaign is very symbolic because Livno is a Croatian
    Croats
    Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...

     town that "never lost a single battle". She also added that she will come back victorious and "...announce victory of the Croatian people."

  • Union for a Better Future of BiH
    Union for a Better Future of BiH
    Union for a Better Future of BiH is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party was founded in September 2009 by Fahrudin Radončić, the founder and owner of Dnevni Avaz, the largest daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party has yet to establish a political program and...

     (SBB BiH) - At the first they of election campaign, supporters and sympathizers of the party had meet at the Iftar
    Iftar
    Iftar , refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib time...

     in Gradačac
    Gradacac
    Gradačac is a town and municipality in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located roughly south of the Sava river. Administratively, Gradačac is part of the Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

    . At this meeting they stated that they will win the elections because they will "probably win those who gaved fake hope to the people previous years". About 600 fasting persons welcomed the party's president and candidate for Bosniak
    Bosniaks
    The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...

     member of the Presidency, Fahrudin Radončić
    Fahrudin Radoncic
    Fahrudin Radončić, , is a Bosniak businessman and politician. Radončić's Dnevni Avaz is a widely circulated daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Career :Radončić was raised in the town of Plav in Montenegro...

    . Large number of syphatizers waited Radončić at the entrance of "Europrof", wher they later continued with Iftar.

  • Croatian Party of Rights
    Croatian Party of Rights (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina is parlamentary party in Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents ideology of dr. Ante Starčević. Main goals of the HSP BiH are changes of Treaty of Dayton and division of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to territorial regions.-History:HSP BiH was...

     - Candidate for Prime Minister of Hercegovina-Neretva Canton Živko Budmimir had opend his Election Campaign at midnight of September 3. He talked to the police representatives and tour to the police patrols. Professor Petar Milić, president of the Main Department of Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina and candidate of Coalition of Croatian Democratic Union 1990
    Croatian Democratic Union 1990
    The Croatian Democratic Union 1990 is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It split of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by Božo Ljubić. In the 2006 it was the leading member of the Croats Together coalition....

     and Croatian Party of Rights
    Croatian Party of Rights (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
    Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina is parlamentary party in Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents ideology of dr. Ante Starčević. Main goals of the HSP BiH are changes of Treaty of Dayton and division of Bosnia and Herzegovina according to territorial regions.-History:HSP BiH was...

     for House of Representatives of Parliament of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina started his campaign with the most sensitive part of Croats
    Croats
    Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...

     - the exiles.

Polling

Opinion polls suggested Dodik's "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats" would remain the largest Serb party, as well as the country as a whole. The "Social Democratic Party" of Zlatko Lagumdžija
Zlatko Lagumdžija
Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija is a Bosnian politician and academic. He is known for his leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 would be the largest party in the federation, followed by the "Party of Democratic Action."

An analyst at the "Why not?" NGO in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....

 suggested the elections importance was because "change will finally happen [...] because the ones who are in power now have proved they are not capable of leading the country and bringing the necessary reforms. Civil society has been very active about these elections and we hope this will have an impact." She said that if there were changes in the establishment ethnic relations would not be as tense. An August 2010 survey of 2,000 respondents by the National Democratic Institute
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs is an organization created by the United States government by way of the National Endowment for Democracy to channel grants for furthering democracy in developing nations. It was founded in 1983, shortly after the U.S. Congress created...

. suggested that voters on both sides are tired of nationalist rhetoric and pessimistic about the future of Bosnia. 87 percent felt that nationalist parties are leading the country in the wrong direction. Respondents said politicians discussed nationalist issues too much, while employment and economic
Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina
This page discusses the Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina since Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 and the declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992.-Overview:...

 issues were not discussed enough. They thought that the biggest issue was unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...

, followed by corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...

 and crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...

.

Election

In total, 3,126,599 citizens registered to vote. There were 5,276 polling centres: 4,981 regular, 145 for voting in absentia, 143 for voting in person and 7 at Bosnian embassies abroad. There were also 1,200 observers, including 485 international observers.

The Central Electoral Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered a recount of 66,138 votes that were declared void. This could change the victory of Nebojša Radmanović
Nebojša Radmanovic
Nebojša Radmanović is a Bosnian Serb politician. He finished his schooling in Banja Luka, before going on to study at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy...

, candidate of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), who won the Serb seat of the central presidency by a narrow margin of 9,697. Mladen Ivanić
Mladen Ivanic
Mladen Ivanić is a Bosnian Serb politician. From 2001 to 2003, Ivanić was Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska, and his leadership is described by many as rather successful...

 of the Party of Democratic Progress
Party of Democratic Progress
The Party of Democratic Progress is a Serbian political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the third-largest party in Republika Srpska.-History:...

 (PDP) lost by less than two percent.

State Presidency

One President
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Overview:...

 was elected to represent each of the country's three constitutional peoples: Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...

, Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...

 and Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...

. In Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 voters were given a ballot for the Serb member of the presidency. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...

 voters were given a ballot for both Bosniak and Croat candidates, but only a single candidate could be chosen. People residing in the Brčko District
Brcko District
Brčko District in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina is a neutral, self-governing administrative unit, under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 can choose to participate in either the Federation or Republika Srpska elections.

State Parliament

The new Parliamentary Assembly
Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the bicameral legislative body of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 includes:

House of Representatives

According to the constitution, the representatives from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are allocated 28 seats, while the representatives from the Republika Srpska have 14 seats. There are 42 seats in total. District Brčko is unrepresented in the B-H parliament, not participating in elections.
The elected representatives were:

SDP

  • Denis Bećirević
  • Zlatko Lagumdžija
    Zlatko Lagumdžija
    Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija is a Bosnian politician and academic. He is known for his leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

  • Hamdija Lipovača
  • Mirsad Mešić
  • Mirza Kušljugić
  • Nermina Zaimović-Uzunović
  • Saša Magazinović
  • Danijela Martinović

SNSD

  • Nikola Špirić
    Nikola Špiric
    Dr. Nikola Špirić born September 4, 1956 in Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Yugoslavia) is a Bosnian Serb politician and is the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina elected on 4 January 2007....

  • Lazar Prodanović
  • Milorad Živković
  • Dušanka Majkić
  • Milica Marković
  • Boško Tomić
  • Drago Kalabić
  • Slavko Jovičić

SDA

  • Amir Fazlić
  • Šemsudin Mehmedović
  • Šefik Džaferović
  • Senad Šepić
  • Zijad Jagodić
  • Asim Sarajlić
  • Salko Sokolović

  • SBB BiH: Ismeta Dervoz, Emir Kabil, Adnan Bašić, Mirsad Đugum

  • SDS: Mladen Bosić, Darko Babalj, Borislav Bojić, Aleksandra Pandurević

  • HDZ BiH: Dragan Čović
    Dragan Covic
    Dragan Čović is a Croat politician from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Čović is the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently Čović is under indictment from the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for misuse of office.-Career:Čović worked for the airplane...

    , Niko Lozančić
    Niko Lozancic
    Niko Lozančić was the president of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2003 to 2007. He is an ethnic Croat and the former deputy president of the HDZ of BiH. He is a lawyer and a diplomat.-References:...

    , Mato Franjičević

  • SBiH: Beriz Belkić, Azra Hadžiahmetović

  • Croatian coalition HDZ 1990-HSP BiH: Božo Ljubić, Zvonko Jurišić

  • NSRzB: Mladen Ivanković Lijanović

  • DNZ: Nermin Purić

  • PDP: Vesna Krstović

  • DNS: Petar Kunić

House of Peoples

The 15 members of the House of Peoples
House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The House of Peoples of Bosnia And Herzegovina is one of the two chambers of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the other chamber being the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

 will be elected in entities' Parliaments - 10 members by the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...

 (5 Bosniaks and 5 Croats); and 5 members by the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
The National Assembly of the Republika Srpska is the legislative body of the Republika Srpska, one of two entities comprising the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

.

Entity Parliaments

On the entity level, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...

 and the Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 will elect new governments.

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

In the Federation this includes:
  • Prime Minister of the Federation
  • Federation House of Representatives
    House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
    The House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the legislative body of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

  • Federation House of Peoples

House of Representatives

Final Results of the 2010 general election; only parties which have won mandates are listed:

Republika Srpska

In the Republika Srpska, the government is made up of:
  • Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
  • President (Serb) and vice-presidents (Croat and Bosniak) of Republika Srpska.
  • National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
    National Assembly of the Republika Srpska
    The National Assembly of the Republika Srpska is the legislative body of the Republika Srpska, one of two entities comprising the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina...


Presidential Election

The election for President and Vice-Presidents is held concurrently. The candidate with the most votes is elected to the presidency, while the Bosniak and Croat with the largest number of votes are elected to the vice-presidency.

Canton Parliaments

All 289 seats in the assemblies of the cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina serve as the second-level units of local autonomy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

 were up for election (Bosnian
Bosnian language
Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

: skupština kantona, Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...

: sabor županije, Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....

: скупштина кантона).
Party
USK
Una-Sana Canton
The Una-Sana Canton is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the northwest of the country and has been named after the rivers Una and Sana. The center of canton government is Bihać.-Population:...

%
ŽP
Posavina Canton
The Posavina Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the smallest canton, with an area of only 325 km² populated by 43,588 people , 83% of them are Croats. Its capital city is Orašje The Posavina Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is...

%
TK
Tuzla Canton
The Tuzla Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal seat is in Tuzla.-Municipalities:...

%
ZDK
Zenica-Doboj Canton
The Zenica-Doboj Canton is one of the cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:This canton is situated in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal capital is Zenica and the other town mentioned in the name is Doboj, which is in Republika Srpska, but part of the...

%
BPK
Bosnian Podrinje Canton
The Bosnian Podrinje Canton is one of the 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the eastern central part of the country, in the region of Podrinje...

%
SBK
ŽSB
Central Bosnia Canton
The Central Bosnia Canton is one of the ten cantons of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the center of the country, to the west of Sarajevo...

%
HNK
ŽHN
Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The canton mainly comprises the Neretva river valley area and parts of Herzegovina west of Mostar, its administrative center.-Municipalities:...

%
ZHŽ
West Herzegovina Canton
The West Herzegovina Canton or West Herzegovina County is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography and population:It is located in the south of the country. It has a total area of 1,362 km2 and 81,523 inhabitants...

%
KS
Sarajevo Canton
The Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation...

%
K10
Canton 10
Canton 10 or County 10 is the tenth canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital of County and its president is in Kupres...

% Total
  Party of Democratic Action
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...

 (SDA)
21,104 23.38 1,602 10,29 45,058 24,68 35,144 25.00 2,509 22.90 16,285 17.33 9,927 14.85 0 0 31,459 17.82 1,130 4.72 164,218
  Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a liberal conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Haris Silajdžić. On the issues of the internal divisions of Bosnia, SBiH wants to eliminate two entities, and establish a "one man-one vote political system" in an unified...

 (Za BiH)
7,280 8.07 452 2.92 14,995 8.21 12,055 8.57 1628 14.86 6,621 7.05 2,634 3.94 0 0 18,213 10.32 213 0.89 64,091
  Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic social-democratic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is the successor of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was enlarged by the inclusion of the Socijaldemokrati BiH party to the original...

 (SDP)
20,902 23.16 816 5.24 56,188 30.77 35,724 25.41 2,682 24.48 16,764 17.84 9,005 13.47 252 0.74 42,692 24.19 990 4.13 186,015
  Party of Democratic Activities (A-sda) 11,019 12.21 0 0 4,303 2.36 1,822 1.30 201 1.83 555 0.59 60 0.09 0 0 1,726 0.98 0 0 19,686
  Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party was founded in September 2009 by Fahrudin Radončić, the founder and owner of Dnevni Avaz, the largest daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party has yet to establish a political program and...

 (SBB BiH)
6,438 7.13 512 3.29 19,088 10.45 18,110 12.88 1,383 12.62 12,207 12.99 4,953 7.41 0 0 30,619 17.35 304 1.27 93,614
  Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....

 (HDZ BiH)
591 0.65 6,413 41.19 5,627 3.08 7,330 5.21 0 0 20,417 21.73 22,623 33.83 17,526 51.65 1,846 1.05 6,247 26.09 88,620
  Liberal Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Liberal Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
The Liberal Democratic Party is a liberal party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party....

 (LDS)
0 0 0 0 0 0 369 0.26 33 0.30 157 0.17 63 0.09 0 0 1,536 0.87 0 0 2,518
  Croatian Democratic Union 1990
Croatian Democratic Union 1990
The Croatian Democratic Union 1990 is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It split of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by Božo Ljubić. In the 2006 it was the leading member of the Croats Together coalition....

 (HDZ 1990)
527 0.58 3425 22.00 303 0.17 2,181 1.55 0 0 6,633 7.06 8,324 12.45 5,211 15.36 578 0.33 3,080 12.86 30,262
  Croatian Party of Right (HSP BiH) 7 0.01 454 2.92 * * * * 0 0 * * 3,235 4.84 4,358 12.84 * * 2,284 9.54 10,338*
  Croatian Peasant Party – New Croatian Initiative (HSS - NHI) 0 0 606 3.89 135 0.07 503 0.36 0 0 2,914 3.10 0 0 0 0 243 0.14 1,217 5.08 5,618
  People's Party Work for Betterment
People's Party Work for Betterment
People's Party Work for Betterment is a multi-ethnic party in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which enjoys support from all ethnic groups, but most of its members and voters are Croats. It was founded and run by Mladen Ivanković-Lijanović, from Široki Brijeg...

4837 5.36 336 2.16 8,980 4.92 9,059 6.44 1,085 9.90 5,710 6.08 2,262 3.38 3,883 11.44 5,549 3.14 2,264 9.46 43,965
  Democratic People's Alliance
Democratic People's Alliance
The Democratic People's Alliance is a political party in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 October 2002, the party won seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 3 out of 83...

 (DNS)
90 0.10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 65 0.07 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,205 5.03 1,360
  Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party-Sefer Halilović (BPS) 857 0.95 0 0 6,764 3.70 4,825 3.43 705 6.44 1,508 1.60 1,148 1.72 0 0 8,509 4.82 0 0 24,316
  Democratic People's Community
Democratic People's Community
The Democratic People's Community is a Bosniak political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections, 5 October 2002, the party - led by Fikret Abdić - won 1.4% of the popular vote and 1 out of 42 seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 3 out of...

11,844 13.12 0 0 0 0 250 0.18 0 0 0 0 5 0.01 7 0.02 196 0.11 32 0.13 12,334
  Pensioners' Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pensioners' Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Pensioners' Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina....

655 0.73 60 0.39 1,674 0.92 2,912 2.07 145 1.32 924 0.98 524 0.78 458 1.35 3,095 1.75 0 0 10,447
  Our Party
Our Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Our Party is a multi-ethnical political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is led by Denis Gratz. One of the party's founders is the Academy Awards-winning film director Danis Tanović...

 (NS)
980 1.09 35 0.22 2,500 1.37 1,493 1.06 69 0.63 788 0.84 179 0.27 0 0 8,385 4.75 74 0.31 14,503
  Bosnian Party
Bosnian Party
The Bosnian Party is a multi-ethnic left populist political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.In the last legislative election, on 5 October 2002, the party won 1.5% of the popular vote, one seat out of 42 in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and three seats out of 140 in the...

 (BOSS)
314 0.35 46 0.30 4,429 2.43 1,968 1.40 255 2.33 1,199 1.28 200 0.30 0 0 6,247 3.54 0 0 14,658
  Social Democratic Union (SDU BiH) 889 0.98 0 0 4,501 2.47 164 0.12 0 0 362 0.39 0 0 0 0 6,019 3.41 89 0.37 12,024
  Union of Independent Social Democrats 1,012 1.12 0 0 450 0.25 310 0.22 130 1.19 166 0.18 794 1.19 0 0 1,641 0.93 3,089 12.90 7,592
  Others 914 1.01 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Source - Central Electoral Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Party
USK
Una-Sana Canton
The Una-Sana Canton is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the northwest of the country and has been named after the rivers Una and Sana. The center of canton government is Bihać.-Population:...


ŽP
Posavina Canton
The Posavina Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the smallest canton, with an area of only 325 km² populated by 43,588 people , 83% of them are Croats. Its capital city is Orašje The Posavina Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is...


TK
Tuzla Canton
The Tuzla Canton is a canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal seat is in Tuzla.-Municipalities:...


ZDK
Zenica-Doboj Canton
The Zenica-Doboj Canton is one of the cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:This canton is situated in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cantonal capital is Zenica and the other town mentioned in the name is Doboj, which is in Republika Srpska, but part of the...


BPK
Bosnian Podrinje Canton
The Bosnian Podrinje Canton is one of the 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the eastern central part of the country, in the region of Podrinje...


SBK
ŽSB
Central Bosnia Canton
The Central Bosnia Canton is one of the ten cantons of The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography:It is located in the center of the country, to the west of Sarajevo...


HNK
ŽHN
Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The canton mainly comprises the Neretva river valley area and parts of Herzegovina west of Mostar, its administrative center.-Municipalities:...


ZHŽ
West Herzegovina Canton
The West Herzegovina Canton or West Herzegovina County is one of the 10 cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Geography and population:It is located in the south of the country. It has a total area of 1,362 km2 and 81,523 inhabitants...


KS
Sarajevo Canton
The Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation...


K10
Canton 10
Canton 10 or County 10 is the tenth canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital of County and its president is in Kupres...

Total +/-
  Party of Democratic Action
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...

 (SDA)
7 2 10 10 6 6 5 - 7 2 55 -19
  Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina is a liberal conservative political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina led by Haris Silajdžić. On the issues of the internal divisions of Bosnia, SBiH wants to eliminate two entities, and establish a "one man-one vote political system" in an unified...

 (Za BiH)
3 1 3 4 4 2 2 - 4 - 23 -36
  Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic social-democratic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is the successor of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was enlarged by the inclusion of the Socijaldemokrati BiH party to the original...

 (SDP)
8 1 13 10 7 6 5 - 10 1 61 +18
  Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH
Union for a Better Future of BiH is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The party was founded in September 2009 by Fahrudin Radončić, the founder and owner of Dnevni Avaz, the largest daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party has yet to establish a political program and...

 (SBB BiH)
2 1 4 5 3 4 3 - 7 - 29 -
  Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an observer member of the European People's Party ....

 (HDZ/HNZ/HSP)
- 8 1 2 - 7 10 13 - 7 48 +12
  Croatian Democratic Union 1990
Croatian Democratic Union 1990
The Croatian Democratic Union 1990 is a political party of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It split of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is led by Božo Ljubić. In the 2006 it was the leading member of the Croats Together coalition....

 (HDZ1990)
- 5 - - - 2 3 4 - 4 18 -11
  Croatian Party of Right/New Croatian Initiative
New Croatian Initiative
The New Croatian Initiative is a Croatian political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections, 5 October 2002, the party won 1.4% of the popular vote and 1 out of 42 seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 out of 140 seats in the House of...

- 2 - - - 1 1 3 - 4 11 -3
  People's Party Work for Betterment
People's Party Work for Betterment
People's Party Work for Betterment is a multi-ethnic party in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which enjoys support from all ethnic groups, but most of its members and voters are Croats. It was founded and run by Mladen Ivanković-Lijanović, from Široki Brijeg...

2 - 2 3 3 2 1 3 1 3 20 +10
  Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party-Sefer Halilović (BPS) - - 2 1 2 - - - 2 - 7 -1
  Democratic People's Community
Democratic People's Community
The Democratic People's Community is a Bosniak political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections, 5 October 2002, the party - led by Fikret Abdić - won 1.4% of the popular vote and 1 out of 42 seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 3 out of...

4 - - - - - - - - - 4 -2
  Bosnian Party
Bosnian Party
The Bosnian Party is a multi-ethnic left populist political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.In the last legislative election, on 5 October 2002, the party won 1.5% of the popular vote, one seat out of 42 in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and three seats out of 140 in the...

/Social Democratic Union (BOSS/SDU)
- - - - - - - - 2 - 2 -3
  Union of Independent Social Democrats - - - - - - - - - 3 3 -2
  Stranka Demokratske Aktivnosti A-SDA 4 - - - - - - - - - 4 ?
  Posavska Stranka - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 ?
  Our Party
Our Party
Our Party may refer to:*OUR Party , a political party in the Solomon Islands*Uri Party, a defunct liberal political party in South Korea*Naša Stranka, a political party in Bosnia-Herzegovina...

- - - - - - - - 2 - 2 ?
  Democratic People's Alliance
Democratic People's Alliance
The Democratic People's Alliance is a political party in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina.At the last legislative elections in Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 October 2002, the party won seats in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 3 out of 83...

- - - - - - - - - 1 1 ?
  Total 30 21 35 35 25 30 30 23 35 25    

Reaction

Štefan Füle
Štefan Füle
Štefan Füle is a Czech politician and diplomat, since 2009 European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy in the second Barroso Commission.- Early life :...

, European commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...

 for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, urged Bosnian politicians to speed up the establishment of State and Entity governments using the EU agenda as a negotiation base for coalition building. Füle underlined the need for constitutional amendments to ensure compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...

 and improve governance, for a new Census Law to provide reliable statistical data, and for the establishment of an independent state aid authority.

The US Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....

 Hillary Clinton visited Bosnia and Herzegovina a week after the elections in an effort to push for political reforms to fully integration the entry into both the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 and NATO. She also called for unity and criticised threats of secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...

 of Srpska made by Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...

. A US diplomat in Europe said he thought the reforms are necessary and that "the Bosnians need to follow up. The rest of the region is moving towards Europe, and Bosnia is going to have to overcome these ethnic divisions [...] if they want to go down this path."

In the international media, the election was read as seeing the country "still mired in political deadlock and ethnic rivalry," because of a continued political stalemate that leaves the unique tripartite presidency split over the future of the country. This also meant a likelihood of a delayed economic recovery and the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union
Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union
The accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union is the aim of the present relations between the two entities. Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recognised by the EU as a "potential candidate country" for accession since the decision of the European Council in Thessaloniki in 2003...

.

Analysis

The re-election of Željko Komšić (SDP
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic social-democratic political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.The party is the successor of the League of Communists of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was enlarged by the inclusion of the Socijaldemokrati BiH party to the original...

) as the Croat member of the presidency has widely been attributed to Bosniaks choosing to vote on the Croat list.

The Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina of Zlatko Lagumdzija
Zlatko Lagumdžija
Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija is a Bosnian politician and academic. He is known for his leadership of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 appeared to be the biggest winner of the election, while the Party of Democratic Action contained their expected losses, while the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina of Haris Silajdzic
Haris Silajdžic
Haris Silajdžić is a Bosnian politician and academic. In the 2006 elections, Silajdžić was elected as the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for four years in the rotating presidency.He was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia.- Political career:From 1990...

 lost ground. The Party of Independent Social Democrats of Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik
Milorad Dodik , is the President of Republika Srpska, and the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats political party. He graduated from the Belgrade University of Political Sciences .-Political career:...

 strengthened its presence in both Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 and at state level. None of the newly established parties, with the exception of Fahrudin Radončić
Fahrudin Radoncic
Fahrudin Radončić, , is a Bosniak businessman and politician. Radončić's Dnevni Avaz is a widely circulated daily newspaper in Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Career :Radončić was raised in the town of Plav in Montenegro...

's Union for a Better Future of BiH were able to pass the threshold and gain seats in either of the parliamentary bodies. Two blocs can therefore be noticed at state level: the Party of Independent Social Democrats|SNSD and Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina on one side and the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Party of Democratic Action on the other. The negotiations to form a new government at both Federation and State level are expected to take some time.

In Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...

 Dodik secured a stable majority, and his election as Entity President will likely signal a trend of presidentialisation of Srpska's political system, in line with what happened in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

 after Tadic
Tadic
Tadić is a common Croatian, Serbian and Montenegrin surname and may refer to:* Boris Tadić , President of Serbia* Josip Tadić , Croatian football player* Ljuba Tadić , Serbian actor...

's presidential election.

Government formation

At the federal level, the formation of government is currently ongoing. There are two major coalitions which have been formed since the election: Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Party of Democratic Action, Croatian Party of Rights and People's Party Work for Betterment; and a looser grouping of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, Serbian Democratic Party, Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatian Democratic Union-1990. Neither group has a parliamentary majority, nor do they have full representation from the three constitutional peoples.

External links

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