On October 6, 2024, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe observed the local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mission, led by Carla Dejonghe from Belgium, included 25 observers from 20 countries. Preparatory meetings were held in Sarajevo on October 4 and 5, and on election day, 12 Congress teams were deployed to different districts across the country. The delegation acknowledged technical improvements resulting from the 2024 amendments to the Electoral Law but expressed regret over the limited time and resources for practical implementation and training.
“For Bosnia and Herzegovina’s local democracy to continue to progress, efforts to increase public engagement and trust are needed, as yesterday’s low turnout indicates. In that regard, we particularly regret that the number of female candidates for mayoral positions remains very low, underlining the need for targeted efforts to improve the representation of women in local leadership,” stated Ms Dejonghe.
The Congress draft report and recommendation will be submitted for adoption at the 48th Congress session in March 2025.
