Bosnian Election Sees Record Low Turnout, Dodik Triumphant, Presidency Reshaped

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minic (L) and Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) President, Milorad Dodik (R) celebrate after the announcement of the early results in Banja Luka, 04 October 2026. Photo: EPA/NIDAL SALJIC. With more than 90 per cent of votes counted in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections, preliminary results on Monday morning indicated a new composition for the country’s three-member presidency – amid a turnout that plummeted 9.5 per cent compared to the previous nationwide elections in 2022. The presidency looks set to comprise Denis Becirovic of the United for Bosnia and Herzegovina coalition as the Bosniak member, Darijana Filipovic of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, HDZ BiH as the Croat member, and Zeljka Cvijanovic of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD as the Serb member. Becirovic won a second term as the Bosniak member of the presidency with 38.12 per cent, ahead of Party of Democratic Action, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic on 33.98 per cent and Semir Efendic of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina on 25.75 per cent. HDZ BiH candidate Filipovic won the race for the Croat seat with 46.55 per cent, ahead of Democratic Front candidate Slaven Kovacevic on 30.57 per cent and independent candidate Zdenko Lucic on 22.88 per cent. The SNSD’s Cvijanovic won the Serb seat with 55.37 per cent, securing a second term. Serb Democratic Party, SDS candidate Marinko Bozovic received 26.54 per cent, while Nebojsa Vukanovic won 18.08 per cent. Turnout nationwide was just 42 per cent. The Central Election Commission has stressed that the results remain preliminary as counting continues. Voters on Sunday cast ballots for the members of the state presidency, the state parliament, the president of Republika Srpska, entity parliaments and cantonal assemblies in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results secure the continued political influence of Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, the head of the SNSD, even though he has been barred from standing for public office due to a conviction. “I declare victory at all levels. Thank you to everyone,” Dodik said after the vote. In the Republika Srpska entity, the SNSD was leading the race for the entity’s National Assembly with 38.93 per cent of the vote, based on almost 87 per cent of counted ballots. The SNSD’s Savo Minic, Dodik’s close all who is currently the entity’s prime minister, also looks set to position of the president of Republika Srpska. Dodik attributed part of the party’s success to what he described as a changed political environment in the United States. Amid intensive lobbying by the Bosnian Serbs, US sanctions against Dodik and SNSD allies imposed for corruption and secessionist activities have been dropped by the Trump administration. “If there had not been Trump’s magnificent victory, we would probably be politically dead today, but thanks to the new environment, we are now political winners,” Dodik said. He also thanked Vladimir Putin, who had declared his support. The SDA was leading the race for the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to results from 93.48 per cent of polling stations. The SDA was on 30.58 per cent, the Social Democratic Party, SDP second on 15.39 per cent, with the coalition led by the HDZ BiH third with 13.61 per cent. SDP leader Nermin Niksic said the party was satisfied with its performance, highlighting SDA politician Becirovic’s win in the presidency race and Ivan Begic’s expected victory as vice-president of Republika Srpska, coming second behind Minic. “It is not usual for governments to perform well in elections, but the SDP has received confirmation that it has a better electoral result, more votes and two individual positions – the candidate for the presidency and, as things stand now, the vice-president of Republika Srpska,” Niksic said. He said the SDP expects to gain two or three additional seats in the Federation parliament compared with the 2022 elections. He also expects the party to retain its five seats in the state-level House of Representatives. The CEC is expected to continue publishing updated preliminary results as ballots are processed. Besides expected smaller issues with new election technologies, including biometric voter identification and ballot scanners, which were introduced for these polls, the voting process went off without major issues. According to BIRN’s contacts at the Central Election Commission, over 80 per cent of the polling stations in the country filed election results in the first 15 minutes after polls closed.