General elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina: turnout declining, Dodik claims victory

Introduction

Polls closed in Bosnia-Herzegovina for the general elections involving over 3.4 million voters called to renew the country's tripartite presidency and more than 500 positions at different institutional levels. The former pro-Russian leader of Bosnia's Serb entity, Milorad Dodik, said his party retained power in a general election today marked by a sharp decline in voter turnout. Around 3.4 million voters were called to elect the representatives of a complex institutional structure - resulting from the 1995 peace agreements - based on the sharing of power between Bosniaks (Muslims), Croats (Catholics) and Serbs (Orthodox). The main issue at stake in these elections is the tripartite presidency, divided between Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats; the Serbian nationalists led by Milorad Dodik conducted the electoral campaign focusing on greater autonomy and secessionist rhetoric.