| 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 1 | 1 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) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
