Sinisa Karan last week took the oath in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Bosnia’s Serb-led entity, formally assuming the duties of president.
However, the question is not who the new president of Republika Srpska is, but whether he can make decisions independently – or whether his predecessor, Milorad Dodik, still makes the decisions, despite being formally removed from power.
Karan’s election followed a period of political turmoil. Following the removal of Dodik’s mandate as a result of his court conviction, early elections were held on November 23, 2025.
However, due to some irregularities during the vote, Bosnia’s Central Election Commission ordered repeat elections at 136 polling stations in 17 constituencies. The repeat vote was held on February 8, 2026. Only after that did Karan take office.
In established democracies, such electoral complexities would mean that the newly elected president would have to gain additional trust. He would have to prove that he is the president of all citizens and above any party.