ODIHR opens election observation mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO, 20 August 2026 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an observation mission for the 4 October general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, following an invitation from the national authorities and based on the findings of a pre-election needs assessment mission.

The mission is led by Tana de Zulueta and consists of a core team of 13 experts based in Sarajevo. Twenty-six long-term observers will be deployed throughout the country from 28 August, and ODIHR also plans to request 300 short-term observers to arrive several days before election day. The core team experts and long-term observers come from 23 different OSCE participating states.

“Our observation mission will assess the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina against OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections,” de Zulueta said. “We will look at all stages of the process, from preparations through election day and beyond, to provide an impartial and comprehensive assessment of the elections.”

The mission will closely monitor all key aspects of the elections, such as the campaign, including on social networks, campaign finance, the work of the election administration at the national, regional and local levels, the use of election technologies, the legal framework, institutional arrangements put in place by the authorities to detect disinformation and interference, media coverage, and election dispute resolution. Observers will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations. Members of the observation mission will meet with representatives of the national authorities, political parties, civil society, the media, and the international community. 

“Our observers will travel throughout the country and meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including election officials, political parties and candidates, civil society, the media and the international community, to listen to different perspectives and observe the process across Bosnia and Herzegovina,” de Zulueta added. 

For election day itself, delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament will join efforts with the ODIHR mission.

An interim report will be published by ODIHR some two weeks prior to the elections, to update the public and the media on the observation mission’s activities. The day after the elections, the mission’s initial findings and conclusions will be presented at a joint press conference. A final report with a comprehensive assessment and recommendations to help improve the process for the future will be published in the months following the elections.

ODIHR has observed 13 elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, most recently the 2025 early election for the president of Republika Srpska. For further information on ODIHR’s election observation activities in the country, please visit: Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

ODIHR carries out election observation across the OSCE region. Election observation missions assess the extent to which fundamental freedoms are respected in the campaign and whether 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 and 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. 

The mission is firmly committed to transparency and openness in all aspects of its work and encourages media inquiries.

Media contacts:

Ivan Godársky, Media Analyst: ivan.godarsky@odihr.ba, +387 67 130 0363

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson: thomas.rymer@odihr.pl, +48 609 522 266