2026 Bosnian general election
General elections are scheduled to be held in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 4 October 2026. They will decide the makeup of the presidency as well as national, entity and cantonal governments.
Background
Amendment to the Election Law
On 26 March 2024, Christian Schmidt, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, issued a decree amending the country's Election Law to strengthen election integrity across the nation. In response, on 19 April, Republika Srpska adopted its own election law, which would establish a new entity-level election commission that would oversee all electoral processes within the entity. Milorad Dodik, Republika Srpska president, pledged that the entity would enforce its own Election Law in the 2026 general election.Political background of the governing coalition
Following the 2022 election, a coalition led by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, the Croatian Democratic Union and the liberal alliance Troika reached an agreement on the formation of a new government, designating HDZ BiH deputy president Borjana Krišto as the new chairwoman of the Council of Ministers.In January 2025, Troika announced that it was rescinding its support for the coalition with the SNSD, following the latter failing to vote for two laws concentrated on European Union accession. The legislation was ultimately passed with votes from the SNSD's opposition in Republika Srpska. Since then, Krišto has been accused of intentionally ignoring the appointment of Troika-backed Republika Srpska opposition politician and outspoken Dodik critic Nebojša Vukanović as the new minister of security following the office's vacancy in January 2025. Krišto's actions sparked up renewed stories of the SNSD's and HDZ BiH's long-standing relations. Some opposition parties have called for Krišto's resignation and for a vote of no confidence.
Indictment and trial of Milorad Dodik
In February 2025, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik was convicted by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a first-instance verdict and was sentenced to one year imprisonment, and was also banned from performing the duties of the president of Republika Srpska for six years due to anti-constitutional conduct. Dodik refused to recognize the ruling and introduced laws barring federal law enforcement agencies from operating in Republika Srpska, prompting the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to issue arrest warrants against him and other senior officials of Republika Srpska in March 2025. The court also requested the issuance of an international arrest warrant against Dodik and Republika Srpska National Assembly speaker Nenad Stevandić from Interpol. Ultimately, Interpol rejected the request for the arrest warrant, deeming the persecution of Dodik and Stevandić as politically motivated.On 4 July 2025, Dodik voluntarily appeared before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The hearing was conducted following a motion submitted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Acting upon the motion, the Court issued a decision revoking the previously ordered arrest warrant against Dodik, replacing it with a precautionary measure only requiring him to report periodically to a designated state authority.
On 1 August 2025, the first-instance verdict against Dodik from February of that year was confirmed by the court's Appellate panel. On 6 August, the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered Dodik's removal as president of Republika Srpska, a decision which would take effect after an appeals period expired. On 12 August, the Bosnian state court commuted his one year prison sentence to a fine of 36,500 Bosnian marks. On 18 August, Dodik's appeal against the decision of the Central Election Commission was rejected and his mandate as Republika Srpska president was officially terminated, with the termination date marked as 12 June 2025, due to the Bosnian state court's verdict becoming legally binding on that day. The National Assembly of Republika Srpska initially rejected the court's decision and supported Dodik as the president, but eventually accepted it in October 2025.
Consequently, the Central Election Commission announced that early presidential elections in Republika Srpska for a shortened, ten-month term, were scheduled to be held on 23 November 2025. Dodik and the SNSD initially refused to take part in the election, however they later confirmed that they would participate. Conversely, the opposition in Republika Srpska immediately decided to participate.