Dodik Claims Victory as Ally Leads Bosnia Presidency Race

Milorad Dodik declared victory for his nationalist party in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s election on Sunday, while preliminary counts showed his ally Zeljka Cvijanovic leading the race for the Serb seat on the country’s three-member presidency. The results remain preliminary, and final certified outcomes have not been reported in the available information. With roughly 90% to 95% of ballots counted, Cvijanovic had more than 55% of the vote, according to preliminary tallies. She was seeking one of three presidency seats representing the country’s Bosniak, Serb and Croat communities. Incumbent Bosniak member Denis Becirovic and Croat candidate Darijana Filipovic also claimed victory in their respective races before all votes were counted. Dodik, a former president of the Serb-majority Republika Srpska entity, was not on the ballot. He is barred from public office for six years after a conviction related to defying decisions by Bosnia’s international envoy and Constitutional Court, according to reports. He nevertheless remains a prominent figure in the entity’s politics and led his party’s election campaign.