Political Developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On Sat, Nov 23, 2025, Ana Trisic Babic was appointed as interim president of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Serb-majority entity, Republika Srpska. This appointment follows a state court decision barring Milorad Dodik from political activities.

Legislative Changes and Appointments

The Republika Srpska parliament confirmed Babic’s interim presidency until the early presidential elections scheduled for Thu, Nov 23, 2025. Concurrently, lawmakers annulled several separatist laws that had previously challenged the authority of an international envoy and Bosnia’s constitutional court.

Sanctions and International Relations

Recently, the US Department of the Treasury removed four allies of Dodik from its sanctions list. Dodik remains sanctioned by the United States, United Kingdom, and several European governments for actions perceived as undermining the Dayton peace agreement, which concluded Bosnia’s 1992–1995 conflict.

Legal and Electoral Decisions

In August 2025, Bosnia’s electoral authorities revoked Dodik’s presidential mandate after an appeals court sentenced him to one year in prison and disqualified him from holding political office for six years. This decision was enforced under a regulation mandating the removal of officials sentenced to over six months of imprisonment.

A Sarajevo court had convicted Dodik in February 2025 for non-compliance with directives from the international envoy, Christian Schmidt. Despite this, Dodik has expressed his intent to retain power with the support of the Bosnian Serb parliament.

Regional and Internal Dynamics

Dodik maintains backing from regional leaders, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. His repeated threats to separate Republika Srpska from Bosnia have heightened tensions within the region, particularly among Bosniak communities.

The ongoing governance of Bosnia and Herzegovina is structured under the Dayton Accords, which established two largely autonomous entities: Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation. These entities share national institutions such as the presidency, military, judiciary, and taxation system.

In recent years, tensions have escalated as Dodik publicly repudiates the authority of the international envoy, declaring Schmidt’s decisions non-binding in Republika Srpska.