In the presidential election held on Sunday in the Republic of Srpska, the candidate from the ruling party 'Alliance of Independent Social Democrats' (SNSD) and ally of former president Milorad Dodik, Sinisa Karan, won, according to official results, LETA reports citing DPA.
Karan received 50.85% of the votes, while the candidate from the opposition Serbian Democratic Party (SDS), Branko Blanuša, received 47.8%, the Central Election Commission reported on Sunday evening in Sarajevo.
The other four candidates received a negligible number of votes.
Early elections were necessary as Dodik was removed from office by a court ruling for separatist activities.
Voter turnout was 35%.
Since this was an extraordinary election, the new president is elected for one year. Regular parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for 2026.
Political analysts predict that Karan will not continue Dodik's separatist campaign. Dodik himself intends to lead the SNSD despite being banned from holding public office.
Since the end of the war in Bosnia in 1995, the country has been divided into two autonomous units — the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of Muslims and Croats. Each of the autonomies has its own government and police, while the federal institutions located in Sarajevo that unite both parts remain extremely weak.
