Local elections were held in Bosnia and Herzegovina yesterday, and according to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission (CEC), 91.35% of polling stations have been processed. The next update is expected at 3 pm, but the current results already give a clear picture of several key municipalities and cities.

Sarajevo: Troika Maintains Lead

In Sarajevo, the Troika coalition (SDP, Our Party, People and Justice) is showing strong results. Troika’s candidate, Benjamina Karic, has a growing lead over her opponent Muamer Bandic (SBiH) in the Novo Sarajevo municipality.

With 95.05% of polling stations processed, Karic has secured 42.23% of the vote (10,444 votes), while Bandic follows closely with 40.37% (9,986 votes).

Troika is also successfully defending its positions in the Stari Grad and Centar municipalities, where Our Party will retain the mayoral seats, while SDP continues its control in Tuzla.

Elmedin Konakovic, president of People and Justice (NiP), expressed satisfaction with the results, noting that they managed to keep their mayoral positions and win new ones. However, SDP president Nermin Niksic admitted that despite holding onto key positions, the party is not entirely pleased with the outcome.

Mostar: HDZ BiH in the Lead

In Mostar, the HDZ BiH is leading with 40.29% of the vote (12,447 votes) after 76.97% of polling stations were processed. The Coalition for Mostar (SDA, BPS, BH Greens) is in second place with 27.58% (8,522 votes), while the “Grad moj” coalition (DF, NES, SBiH, PMP) is in third with 11.88% (3,670 votes).

Dragan Covic, president of HDZ BiH, expressed satisfaction with the results, stating his belief that HDZ BiH will secure the mayoral seat in Mostar.

HDZ BiH also maintained dominance in other Croat-majority municipalities, retaining power in places like Neum, Ravno, Capljina, Stolac, and Ljubuski. However, the party is at risk of losing the mayoral position in Žepce, where it’s likely an SDA candidate will take over. Covic blamed this on the opposition Croatian bloc (HDS), which, he claimed, siphoned off crucial votes.

On a positive note, Ivan Buntic of the Croat National Movement (HNP) won in Tomislavgrad, while Zdravko Marosevic from HDS was elected mayor of Vares, a municipality with a Bosniak majority.

Jozo Ivancevic remains the mayor of Prozor-Rama, continuing his opposition to HDZ BiH, while HDZ 1990’s president Ilija Cvitanovic announced his party would be represented in numerous municipal councils.

Changes in Bugojno and Kljuc

Despite the SDA declaring victory in Bugojno early in the evening, the latest results show Troika candidate Edin Masic leading with 44.88% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Mirza Idrizovic (SDA), who garnered 44.49%.

In Kljuc, the SDA secured a major win as its candidate Jasmin Music claimed the mayoral position, marking a loss for the SDP in one of its key political strongholds. The SDA is also leading in the race for the municipal council, signalling a shift in local governance.

Notably, Ibro Berilo, an SDA candidate, won a new term as mayor of Trnovo despite being in prison for the past three months on charges of abuse of office.

Republika Srpska: SNSD Strong, but Stanivukovic Keeps Banja Luka

In Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik’s SNSD party claimed victories in 70% of municipalities. According to Radovan Kovacevic, head of the SNSD electoral headquarters, their candidates won in 45 municipalities and cities.

However, they failed to secure the mayoral position in Banja Luka, where Drasko Stanivukovic of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) retained his position.

Elsewhere, the SNSD scored major wins in municipalities like Visegrad, Novo Gorazde, Rudo, Foca, and Rogatica. Milorad Dodik celebrated the results, calling it the SNSD’s best electoral performance and promising to further solidify the party’s dominance in Republika Srpska.