IPU Logo    INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE  
   HOME -> PARLINE -> BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (Predstavnicki dom)
Print this pagePrint this page
PARLINE database new searchNew search
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Predstavnicki dom (House of Representatives)
ELECTIONS IN 2006

Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module

A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page

Parliament name (generic / translated) Skupstina / Parliamentary Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Predstavnicki dom / House of Representatives
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Dom Naroda / House of Peoples
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 1 October 2006
Purpose of elections Elections were held for all the seats in the House of Representatives on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
On 1 October 2006 the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina went to the polls to elect 42 members of the House of Representatives and the country's tripartite presidency (one Bosniak one Serb and one Croat). Elections were also held for the legislative assemblies of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina (the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina dominated by Bosniaks and Croats and the Republika Srpska dominated by Bosnian Serbs).

Since the signing of the Dayton Agreement in 1995 Bosnia and Herzegovina has been an international protectorate with ultimate governing authority being vested in a UN-mandated High Representative. Preparations are under way to close the Office of the High Representative in June 2007.

Nationalist parties fared well in the last elections (October 2002) winning a total of 20 seats. The Party of Democratic Action (SDA Bosniak) won ten seats while the Serb Democratic Party (SDS Serb) and the Croatian Democratic Union-Croatian National Union (HDZ-HNZ) took five seats each. The Bosniak-led multi-ethnic party the Party for Bosnia-Herzegovina (SBiH) won six seats. Mr. Adnan Terzic of the SDA became Prime Minister and gave priority to enhancing the country's relationship with the European Union (EU).

Proposed amendments to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina were the main issue in the run-up to the 2006 elections. In February 2006 the European Parliament recommended that the Constitution be modified to transfer powers currently vested in each entity to the central government in an effort to overcome ethnic divisions and simplify State structures.

On 19 March 2006 seven parties (see note 1) including the three major nationalist parties agreed on a proposal for constitutional amendments that would have given legislative authority to an expanded 87-member lower house of parliament leaving the upper house to deal only with issues of vital national interest. Under the proposed amendments the system of "entity voting" in parliament (see note 2) would have been retained the country's president and two vice-presidents would have been elected by parliament and the central government would have received more powers. The proposed amendments were strongly opposed by the SBiH and the Croatians Together (HDZ 1990) a new party set up by former members of the HDZ.

On 26 April 2006 the proposed amendments narrowly failed to win the required two-thirds of votes in the House of Representatives. The House decided to return to constitutional issues after the 2006 elections. However debate over the status of the entities that compose Bosnia and Herzegovina continued throughout the election campaign. Bosniak-led parties including the SBiH argued that the Republika Srpska should be abolished whereas the Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska Mr. Milorad Dodik called for its secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In all 36 parties eight coalitions and 12 independent candidates contested the elections. A total of 54.8 per cent of some 2.75 million eligible voters cast their ballots. International observation missions including from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) concluded that the elections had been generally conducted in line with international standards for democratic elections.

The parties that had voted in favour of the constitutional amendments in April won a total of 28 seats although the three nationalist parties gained fewer seats than in 2002. Of the parties that had campaigned against the amendments the SBiH gained two more seats winning eight and the HDZ 1990 took two. Another four parties won one seat each.

Mr. Nebojsa Radmanovic of the Party of Independent Social Democrats (Serb SNSD) Mr. Haris Silajdic (Bosniak SBiH) and Mr. Zelijko Komsic (Croat SDP) won the tripartite presidential elections. They were subsequently inaugurated on 6 November 2006.

The newly elected House of Representatives held its first session on 20 November 2006. On 11 January 2007 Mr. Beriz Belkic of the SBiH was elected as the new Speaker (see note 3) of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile on 4 January 2007 the tripartite presidency named Mr. Nikola Spiric of the SNSD as Prime Minister of the central government.

Note 1:
The following seven parties agreed on the constitutional amendments.
1. Party of Democratic Action (SDA)
2. Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)*
3. Croatian National Union (HNZ)*
4. Serb Democratic Party (SDS)
5. Socialist Democratic Party (SDP)
6. Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD)
7. Party of Democratic Progress (PDP)
The HDZ and the HNZ formed an electoral coalition (HDZ-HNZ).

Note 2:
Under the system of "entity voting" all three conditions below must be met for a vote to be won in parliament:
1) a majority of the members in attendance must vote "yes";
2) at least one third of the "yes" votes must be cast by members from the Republika Srpska;
3) at least one third of the "yes" votes must be cast by members from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Note 3:
During the legislature the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives rotates every eight months between the country's three main ethnic groups. Mr. Belkic (Bosniak) will be succeeded by Mr. Milorad Zivkovic (Serb) and Mr. Niko Lozancic (Croat).
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 11 October 2006
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
2'755'207


Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political Group Candidates Votes %
Party of Democratic Action (SDA)
Party for Bosnia-Herzegovina (SBiH)
Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD)
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDP)
Serb Democratic Party (SDS)
Croatian Democratic Union-Croatian National Union (HDZ-HNZ)
Croatians Together (HDZ 1990)
Party of Democratic Progress (PDP)
Patriotic Party (BPS Sefer Halilovic)
People's Party Working for Prosperity (NS)
Democratic People's Community
Democratic People's Alliance (DNS)
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total Federation B. & H. Republika Srpska
Party of Democratic Action (SDA) 9 8 1
Party for Bosnia-Herzegovina (SBiH) 8 7 1
Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) 7 0 7
Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDP) 5 5 0
Serb Democratic Party (SDS) 3 0 3
Croatian Democratic Union-Croatian National Union (HDZ-HNZ) 3 3 0
Croatians Together (HDZ 1990) 2 2 0
Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) 1 0 1
Patriotic Party (BPS Sefer Halilovic) 1 1 0
People's Party Working for Prosperity (NS) 1 1 0
Democratic People's Community 1 1 0
Democratic People's Alliance (DNS) 1 0 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men
Women
Percent of women
36
6
14.29%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
- http://www.izbori.ba/rezultati/parlament_bih/
- IPU Group of Bosnia and Herzegovina (08.11.2006 01.01.2010)
- House of Representatives (01.01.2008)

Copyright 1996-2010 Inter-Parliamentary Union