Ankara:Voters in Bosnia and Herzegovina are participating in a general election to select the country's three-member presidency and representatives for various governmental bodies at state, entity, and cantonal levels. Approximately 3.4 million registered voters have access to polling stations from 7 am to 7 pm local time.
According to Anadolu Agency, the election is conducted under the power-sharing framework established by the Dayton Peace Agreement, which concluded the Bosnian War in the 1990s. The governance structure consists of two main entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly inhabited by Bosniaks and Croats, and Republika Srpska, predominantly Serb. Additionally, the Brcko District operates under its administration but belongs to both entities.
The presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina includes three members: one Bosniak, one Croat, and one Serb. Voters from the Federation can elect the Bosniak or Croat member, while those from Republika Srpska choose the Serb member. Each presidency member serves a four-year term, chairing the presidency in turns every eight months, ensuring representation of the country's three main ethnic groups. However, this system also restricts voting based on residency, and citizens not identifying with these groups cannot run for the presidency.
Denis Becirovic, the current Bosniak member, is running for another term with the Social Democratic Party. Other candidates for the Bosniak seat include Bakir Izetbegovic, Semir Efendic, and Fahrudin Radoncic. For the Croat seat, Darijana Filipovic, Slaven Kovacevic, and Zdenko Lucic are the candidates. Zeljka Cvijanovic, the incumbent Serb member, seeks reelection, competing against Marinko Bozovic and Nebojsa Vukanovic.
Beyond the presidency, the election also involves choosing members for the 42-seat House of Representatives and the indirectly formed 15-member House of Peoples. Elections are also being held for the parliaments of the Federation and Republika Srpska, as well as for the president of Republika Srpska and representatives in the Federation's 10 cantonal assemblies. Preliminary results are anticipated shortly after the polls close.