The Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC BiH) has set a deadline of 4:00 PM today for officials—who won mandates in legislative bodies during the 2026 General Elections but currently hold positions within the executive branch—to submit their formal declarations.
These elected representatives must declare whether they accept their mandates or, alternatively, request that their mandates be temporarily placed on hold (suspended) if they intend to continue performing their existing executive functions.
Along with the necessary declarations and requests, they are also required to submit documentation to the CEC confirming their appointment to the executive position they currently hold.
21 Requests for Mandate Suspension Received So Far
According to information shared yesterday by CEC BiH member Suad Arnautović, a total of 21 requests for the temporary suspension of legislative mandates had been recorded as of yesterday morning. Meanwhile, four delegates in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina have decided to resign from their current positions in order to assume the mandates they won in the House of Representatives of the state-level parliament.
Among the officials who have requested the suspension of their mandates are the mayors and municipal heads of Pale, Odžak, Bosanska Krupa, Ilidža, and Zenica.
Requests have also been submitted by two Vice-Presidents of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, four ministers in the Council of Ministers of BiH, as well as several members of entity and cantonal governments. Meanwhile, two individuals who held executive positions in the Government of the Una-Sana Canton have decided to resign in order to assume their mandates in the legislative branch.
Furthermore, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has received one declaration declining a mandate in the Assembly of the Posavina Canton, as well as 20 resignations concerning mandates in city and municipal councils or assemblies.
New Election Law rules applied for the first time
This year’s post-election process is also notable because, for the first time, legal provisions are being applied that allow elected officials to temporarily retain their legislative mandates while continuing to serve in the executive branch.
This option was introduced through amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which entered into force in March 2024.
Under the new rules, an elected official who remains in an executive position may request that their legislative mandate be placed on hold (suspended), rather than relinquishing it permanently. During this suspension, their seat in the respective legislative body is temporarily filled by the next candidate from the same regular or compensatory electoral list, in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the allocation of mandates.
The suspension takes effect on the fifth day following the submission of the request to the Central Election Commission of BiH and, as a general rule, cannot last for less than six months.
Return to Parliament Possible After Leaving Executive Office
Legal provisions allow for the reactivation of a mandate once an official’s term in the executive branch ends. In such cases, the official must submit a request to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to reactivate their legislative mandate within eight days of leaving their executive position.
The Central Election Commission then has a maximum of 15 days to review the request and issue an appropriate decision. This mechanism enables elected representatives, upon concluding their service in the executive branch, to resume their legislative duties based on the mandate they secured in the elections.
Meanwhile, during their absence, legislative bodies can continue to function with all parliamentary seats filled.
Indirect Elections Follow the Formation of Parliaments
The declarations made by elected officials and the resolution of the status of their mandates are part of the broader process of government formation following the General Elections held in October of this year. Once legislative bodies at the respective levels of government have been constituted, indirect elections will be held to fill the Houses of Peoples and other bodies not elected through direct popular vote.
Upcoming steps include the election of 15 delegates to the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 80 delegates to the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 28 delegates to the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska. Following the completion of these procedures, the President and two Vice-Presidents of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will also be elected. Today’s deadline for elected officials to declare their intentions thus represents an important step in determining the final composition of legislative institutions and continuing the process of government formation based on the 2026 election results.
