Snap Presidential Election in Republika Srpska: Siniša Karan Elected

In a razor-thin victory underscoring Bosnia's enduring ethnic fractures, Siniša Karan, a staunch ally of ousted separatist leader Milorad Dodik, won the snap presidential election in Republika Srpska on November 23, 2025, securing approximately 50.4% of the vote against opposition challenger Branko Blanuša's 48.2%, per near-final Central Election Commission results. The former interior minister and SNSD candidate will serve a shortened term until October 2026 general elections, effectively extending Dodik's influence despite his court-imposed removal from office earlier in 2025 for defying the international High Representative. Low turnout of just 35%—the entity's lowest on record—signaled voter fatigue amid economic stagnation and corruption allegations, yet Dodik hailed the outcome as a defiant rebuke to "foreign interventionism" by Sarajevo and the Office of the High Representative. Karan vowed policy continuity, prioritizing "peace, stability, and economic recovery" while rejecting threats to Bosnia's unity. Proponents view the result as affirming Serb autonomy under the Dayton Accords, bolstered by congratulations from allies like Hungary's Viktor Orbán. Critics, including the opposition SDS and Western observers, decried alleged fraud in SNSD strongholds like Doboj and Zvornik, demanding recounts and warning of deepened instability. As Karan assumes office, this contested mandate risks escalating secessionist rhetoric, testing Bosnia's fragile post-war architecture in a polarized Balkan landscape.