Bosnia election: New technology might have stopped votes being cast on behalf of dead voters, but the result remains unchanged
New technology has stopped votes being cast on behalf of dead or absent voters, and turnout has fallen to a record low. But it was a case of deja vu in Bosnia's elections with the same parties winning along ethnic lines.
On October 4, Bosnia and Herzegovina held elections utilizing biometric fingerprint checks to ensure that votes were not cast in the name of deceased or relocated voters. Despite the use of advanced technology, voter turnout fell to just over 40%, the lowest since the Bosnian War concluded in 1995. This drop was partly due to the effectiveness of the new anti-fraud measures.
Turnout was also affected by the outdated voter rolls that included deceased and emigrant names, which were previously used to cast fraudulent ballots. Regardless, the election results maintained their partisan nature. Three nationalist parties emerged victorious, each gaining dominance in their respective ethnic communities: the SNSD among Serbs, the SDA among Bosniaks, and the HDZ BiH among Croats.
The SNSD, led by Milorad Dodik, experienced a significant boost in Republika Srpska. Dodik, who had been barred from public office due to a previous conviction, now plans to reintroduce elements of the pre-1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, including the return of the army and the judiciary to Republika Srpska. The opposition was divided and lacked a strong message, allowing Dodik to focus on his political agenda unopposed.
In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Troika, a multi-ethnic liberal alliance, suffered a setback. The SDA, led by Bakir Izetbegovic, won the most seats but failed to secure the presidency. Denis Becirovic of the Social Democrats (SDP) emerged as the winner in the Bosniak seat. In Croat-dominated areas, Darijana Filipovic from the HDZ BiH secured the Croat presidency seat.
Despite SDA's electoral success, Izetbegovic's exclusion from the presidency highlights the continued dominance of nationalist parties and the failure to address the core issue of state continuity. The election outcomes emphasize the persistence of ethnic divisions and the ongoing struggle to build a unified Bosnian identity.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
