Bosnia and Herzegovina, General Elections, 4 October 2026

Following an official invitation to observe the 4 October 2026 general elections, based on the findings and conclusions of ODIHR’s Needs Assessment Mission, and in accordance with its mandate, ODIHR has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for these elections. 

ODIHR carries out election observation across the OSCE region, on the invitation from the national authorities. Election observation missions assess the extent to which fundamental freedoms are respected in the campaign and if the elections are characterized by equality, universality, political pluralism, confidence, transparency and accountability. ODIHR’s mandate to observe elections comes from the OSCE commitments outlined in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document, other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as national legislation. Since the Office’s establishment over 30 years ago, ODIHR has deployed more than 470 missions. ODIHR missions are firmly committed to transparency and openness in all aspects of its work and encourage media inquiries. All 57 OSCE participating States have committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations. Check how they are being implemented across the OSCE region in ODIHR’s Electoral Recommendations Database.

Find key information about the election observation mission and browse our reports below.

Mission at a glance

4 October 2026
Election day

13 
Core team experts from 12 OSCE participating States, based in Sarajevo

26 
Long-term observers deployed throughout the country

300 
Short-term observers to be requested from participating States

Tana de Zulueta
Head of mission 

5 October 2026
Preliminary findings published

Final report
Forthcoming

Watch the recording of the press conference presenting the international observers’ preliminary findings and conclusions on the 4 October 2026 general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Election-day observation

ODIHR requested the secondment of 300 short-term observers from OSCE participating States to follow the election day proceedings. The short-term observers were deployed throughout the country in multinational teams of two, which monitored:

• Opening of polling stations
• Voting
• Counting of ballots
• Tabulation of results at all levels

Short-term observers arrived on 30 September and were deployed throughout the country on 2 October to observe election day on 4 October. The mission presented its preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference on 5 October. Short-term observers will depart on 7 October.

Long-term observation

The mission is led by Tana de Zulueta and consists of a core team of 13 experts based in Sarajevo. In addition, 26 long-term observers were deployed throughout the country from 28 August.

The mission will assess whether the elections are held in line with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely follow fundamental components of the elections such as:

• election-related legislation and its implementation
• the work of the election administration and relevant state institutions
• the use of election technologies
• voter registration 
• candidate registration
• campaign environment and activities, including online and through social media platforms
• institutional preparedness and effectiveness to detect and address disinformation, foreign and domestic misinformation and interference, co-operation with social media platforms 
• campaign finance, including its regulation, transparency and accountability
• media environment and media coverage of the elections
• the resolution of election-related disputes

The observers will also assess how prior ODIHR election related recommendations have been considered. The ODIHR EOM will conduct qualitative and quantitative monitoring of media coverage of the election campaign and campaign activities on social networks.

The core team arrived on 19 August, followed by the long-term observers on 26 August. The observers were deployed throughout the country on 28 August and will remain until 11 October, covering the period before, during and after election day. The core team will stay until 15 October.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO and the European Parliament intend to deploy observer delegations for these elections.

The day after the elections, ODIHR, together with its international partners, will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued some months after the end of the election process.

Find all key documents from ODIHR’s observation of the 4 October 2026 general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

ODIHR has previously observed 13 elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, most recently the 2025 early election for the president of Republika Srpska.