Bosnia-Herzegovina Holds Parliamentary, Presidential, Local Elections

BUDAPEST, Oct 4 (Bernama-dpa) -- Some 3.4 million voters in Bosnia-Herzegovina are heading to the polls on Sunday to elect the country's three-member presidency, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

They are also voting for the federal parliament, the parliaments in the two largely autonomous entities, the president of the Republic of Srpska and the cantonal parliaments in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The country is plagued by tensions between nationalist parties representing the predominantly Muslim Bosniaks, who make up around half of the population, Orthodox Serbs, who form a third of the populace, and a smaller minority of Catholic Croats, who make up 15 per cent.

The current leadership of the Serbian entity is seeking to secede from Bosnia, a move opposed by the international community. 

The country has been a candidate for European Union membership since 2022.

Sunday's vote is not expected to produce any significant shifts in power. 

Polling stations are set to open at 7 am (0500 GMT) and are due to close at 7 pm.

The results are likely to be largely available by late on Sunday evening. But due to the complex constitutional framework and often lengthy coalition negotiations, the initial results are unlikely to suggest how the future government will look for the state overall.

-- BERNAMA-dpa