Bosnian Leaders Divided

Almost a year after the general election, Bosnia still lacks a central government as party leaders failed to agree during talks in July.

The elections last October returned the Bosniak-lead Social Democrats as the largest party, enabling them to form the regional government for the Bosniak-Croat region.

Yet the two main Croat parties refused to join that regional government, while separately entering an agreement with the leadership of the Serb region, Republika Srpska, to form a central-level government together.  This would have to include the Bosniak Social Democrats,  however, as the constitution requires a three-person presidency shared between the country’s main ethnic groups.

While the daily running of the country is hardly affected, being conducted by the regional governments, the continued absence of a central authority frustrates Bosnia’s application for EU candidacy.