Dodik ally Sinisa Karan wins presidential election in Bosnia's Republika Srpska

Sinisa Karan, widely regarded as the political successor to former Republika Srpska president Milorad Dodik, has secured victory in snap presidential elections within Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serb-majority entity. Preliminary results released by Bosnia's Central Election Commission indicate that Karan, who currently serves as minister of scientific and technological development, obtained 50.89% of the vote, narrowly defeating his main opponent from the Serbian Democratic Party.

Election Results and Turnout

According to election commission president Jovan Kalaba, Karan received 200,116 votes compared to 188,010 for Branko Blanusa, with 92% of ballots counted. The election saw approximately 443,472 voters participate from a total electorate exceeding 1.2 million, representing a notably low turnout that was acknowledged by Dodik in his congratulations to the winning candidate. Voting occurred across 2,211 polling stations both within Republika Srpska and abroad during the twelve-hour voting period.

Political Context and Succession

Karan's victory maintains the political dominance of Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats in the strategically important entity. The election was necessitated by Dodik's removal from office following his conviction for defying the decisions of the international High Representative and subsequent six-year ban on holding political office. In his victory statement, Karan asserted that "Republika Srpska posed no threat to anyone" and pledged to continue existing policies "with greater strength."

Controversy and Legal Challenges

Opposition parties have alleged electoral irregularities in several cities and announced plans to formally appeal for repeat elections in affected areas. The political environment remains tense following years of separatist rhetoric from Dodik, who repeatedly challenged the authority of the Office of the High Representative established under the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended Bosnia's 1992-1995 war. Dodik's conviction and removal from office earlier this year represented the most significant challenge to his political movement in recent years.