Dysfunctional family

last updated 8 January 2015

Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

This week’s election for Bosnia’s strange, three-member presidency produced a divided result typical of the divided society. Since its ethnic civil war ended in 1995, Bosnia has operated as an unwieldy federation, made up of a Bosniak-Croat alliance and a Serb region. In the vote this week, the Bosniak population elected a strong pro-unity leader, the Croats picked one who mildly favors unity, and the Serbs chose a secessionist. But in a sign of progress toward national cohesion, the ethnic groups chose leaders from parties that were less overtly ethnocentric than in previous votes. The office of the international high representative, established after the civil war to oversee the transition to multiethnic democracy, is scheduled to be abolished next year.