Voters in Bosnia and Herzegovina went to the polls on Sunday 4 October 2026 to elect representatives who will shape the country’s direction in the coming years.
The EU has taken note of preliminary findings by the OSCE’s election observation mission, known as ODIHR, a body that monitors elections for compliance with democratic standards, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by EU High Representative on Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas and EU Enlargement Commission Marta Kos.
Those findings reported “genuine competition” and said candidates were largely able to reach voters, with election day proceeding in an orderly manner, the EU statement said.
It added that problems were also recorded, including difficulties with information and communications technology (ICT), complex procedures during voting and counting, and issues affecting the secrecy of the vote.
The EU said ICT was used nationwide for the first time in an effort to address longstanding concerns about electoral integrity, but delays and shortfalls reduced transparency during implementation.
It also praised the country’s Central Election Commission for its efforts to run the vote despite “persistent institutional and operational constraints” that affected the efficiency and speed of its work.
Focus turns to forming new authorities
Once results are certified, elected representatives should form authorities at state, entity and cantonal level “without delay”, the EU said.
The bloc stated that it expected political leaders to engage constructively in that process and called on them to build trust and consensus to advance Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path towards EU membership.
The EU said further it would continue supporting the country and working with the new authorities on reforms linked to EU accession.
It urged Bosnia and Herzegovina to take steps set out in the European Commission’s 2022 recommendation, in line with a March 2024 European Council decision to open accession negotiations.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was also encouraged to use the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, with the EU warning that the country needed to finalise its legal and institutional framework and implement agreed reforms to avoid losing funds.
The EU restated its commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective “as a single, united and sovereign country.”
