Bosnia's Central Election Commission establishes results of 2026 general elections, recounts and appeals still possible

The decision covers the election results for the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, the President and Vice Presidents of Republika Srpska, the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, and the cantonal assemblies in the Federation of BiH.

CEC members Irena Hadžiabdić and Vanja Bjelica-Prutina did not attend the session.

Mišo Krstović, head of the CEC's Sector for Legal Affairs and Administrative Decision-Making, explained that the decision also includes detailed tables of election results at all levels of government, broken down by electoral constituencies, polling stations, political parties and individual candidates.

The Commission announced that the decision would be published on its official website by 11 p.m.

Recount requests within 72 hours, appeals within two days

Following the establishment and publication of the results, a 72-hour period begins during which requests for a recount of ballots may be submitted.

Appeals against the CEC's decision may also be filed with the Appellate Division of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina within two days of its publication.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, October 25, and it is a working day at the Central Election Commission," Krstović said.

Although the election results have now been formally established, they have not yet been finally certified. Any approved recount requests or appeals could result in changes to the results.

The CEC will issue its final decision certifying the election results once all prescribed procedures have been completed and the statutory deadlines have expired.

Candidates awarded compensatory mandates announced

CEC President Jovan Kalaba read out the names of candidates allocated compensatory mandates in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH.

He noted that, for technical reasons, their names would not be published on the Commission's website.

According to the CEC, the 14th compensatory mandate remains temporarily unfilled because the candidate list of the coalition comprising HDZ BiH, HSS SR, HSP BiH, HKDU, HSP AS, HDU, HSP HB and HRAST has been exhausted.

The coalition will therefore be notified that it must submit a supplementary candidate list within 48 hours.

CEC member Suad Arnautović said this was the first time the Commission had encountered such a situation, but stressed that the procedure was "fully in accordance with the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina."

He referred to Article 9.7a of the Election Law, which allows a political party or coalition to submit a supplementary list when no eligible candidates remain on its compensatory list.

The 48-hour deadline begins when the CEC delivers the notification. The supplementary list must also comply with the principle of equal gender representation.

Who received compensatory mandates?

According to the names announced during the session, compensatory mandates in the House of Representatives of the Federation of BiH Parliament were allocated as follows:

SDA: Miralem Galijašević, Eldin Delić, Asmir Hasić, Jasmina Bišćević-Tokić, Senahid Godinjak, Esad Bašagić and Selma Dandić.

SDP: Edis Dervišagić, Ivan Boban, Samir Avdić and Siniša Dukić.

HDZ BiH coalition: Delfa Dejanović and Mato Matijević, with one seat remaining vacant.

Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH): Rusmira Konjević, Senad Đogić and Amela Efendić.

People and Justice (NiP), SDBiH and SPUBiH coalition: Lejla Kuralić-Ćišić, Rasim Smajlović and Damir Husić.

DF/GS: Ferid Mušić and Marijana Hrvić-Šikuljak.

Our Party (Naša stranka): Nihad Uk and Nasiha Pozder.

NES BiH, PDA and Naprijed! coalition: Sabahudin Koštić.

The Central Election Commission also clarified how interested parties can submit recount requests, objections to the election results and appeals.

Before the final certification of the election results, the CEC also announced that it would apply the legal provisions governing the minimum representation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's constituent peoples in the House of Representatives of the Federation of BiH Parliament and the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.