Balkans | Although 84 days have passed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a government has not yet been formed.

Although 84 days have passed since the presidential and parliamentary elections held in Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 2, a state-level government has not yet been formed in the country.

Because of the complex political structure created by the Dayton Peace Treaty, which ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, attempts to form a government after this election were unsuccessful, as has been the case with almost every election.

The Dayton Peace Treaty brought to Bosnia and Herzegovina two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBIH) and Republika Srpska (RS), and 10 cantons within the FBIH. While each of the entities and cantons has its own parliament and government, the country also has a state-level cabinet.

Months after the official results of the October 2 elections were announced, the political parties holding seats in the cantonal, entity and state parliaments continue their coalition talks to obtain a majority in parliaments and form a government, despite their differing political views.

Attempts to form a government without the Democratic Action Party continue

Despite the signing of a coalition agreement on December 16 between the “eight” coalition formed by the Democratic Union of Croatia (HDZ), the Union of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and opposition parties in Sarajevo, in the process of forming a government at the country level after the general elections in BiH, no This is still a new step.

The Party of Democratic Action (SDA), founded by the late Alija Izetbegović, became the first president of an independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnian party with the most votes in many cantons, both at the FBIH and state level. But the “eight” coalition is on its way to forming a government without the Democratic Action Party.

The Republika Srpska government was formed on December 21

The government formation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as in almost all periods, was carried out for the first time in the entity of Republika Srpska. The government in this entity was formed on December 21.

Milorad Dodik, leader of the Union of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), was elected President of the Republic of Serbia; The names proposed by Radovan Vesković, who appointed him to form the government, were put to a vote at the session of the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska on 21 December. While the proposed names received “yes” from 51 deputies, 23 deputies voted “no”.

While no government has yet been formed in the FBIH, only two of the ten cantonals within the FBIH have held office.

Croatian politician Kristo is tasked with forming the government

Members of the Presidential Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina entrusted the task of forming the government to the Croatian politician Borgana Christo in the December 22 session, so that the process of forming the government would not be prolonged.

Competing with incumbent Croatian member Željko Komsic in the race for the Croatian membership for the presidency, the country’s highest position in elections, Kristo’s task of forming a government brings to mind prospects for a “unification against Komsic”.

While council members Denis Pecivorić and Željka Cvijanović said “yes” to Christo, Croatian member Komcić, who won the election over Christo, objected to giving Christo the task of forming the government.

The final decision on the aforementioned decision will be reached after a vote in the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meanwhile, the country’s cabinet meetings continue.

The government formation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina took 16 months in 2010

The complex political structure in Bosnia and Herzegovina constitutes “major barriers” to the formation of governments after the parliamentary elections that take place every 4 years.

While the government was formed at the state level after 16 months in the 2010 elections, this process took 5.5 months in 2014 and 14 months in the 2018 elections. The government was only formed in 2019.

It is reported that the negotiations, during which the coalition discussed the formation of the government and the management of publicly owned companies, also negatively affected the economy and peace in the country.

Meanwhile, Denis Beserović, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who has the support of the opposition bloc of 11 political parties, announced the membership of Bosniaks in the Presidency Council, which is the most powerful authority in the country, in the October 2 elections. Croatia won membership for the Front. Democracy (DF) and People’s Union (GS) coalition, Zeljko Komcic, and Union of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) candidate Zeljka Cvijanović for membership of Serbia.

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