EditDodik celebrates SNSD victory in repeat elections for Republika Srpska President
The victory of his party's candidate, Siniša Karan, is seen as a "warm-up" for the October general polls for the separatist camp
Milorad Dodik, leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), declared the victory of his party’s candidate, Siniša Karan, in the repeat partial elections for president of Republika Srpska (RS) a clear signal of strength ahead of the general elections scheduled for October this year.
Speaking from the SNSD election headquarters in Banja Luka on Sunday, Dodik announced Karan’s win, highlighting an increased margin compared to the original vote held in November 2025.
“I proclaim the victory of Siniša Karan. A few months ago, the difference was just over nine thousand votes; now it’s 10,300. We’ve increased it,” Dodik stated, emphasizing the growing support for the ruling coalition.
The repeat voting took place on 136 polling stations across 17 municipalities and cities in RS, following a decision by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Central Election Commission (CIK) to annul results from those locations due to identified irregularities during the initial early presidential elections. Nearly 42,000 voters participated in the rerun, where Karan secured more than 10,000 additional votes in his favor.
According to preliminary results released by the CIK, Karan received 224,384 votes, while opposition candidate Branko Blanuša of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) garnered 213,513 votes — a difference of nearly 11,000 votes. The CIK must still finalize and certify these results before Karan assumes office. Karan will serve as president until the regular general elections in October 2026.
The early presidential elections on 23 November were triggered after Milorad Dodik was removed from the presidency. In February 2025, a court in Bosnia and Herzegovina convicted him of failing to implement decisions by the international High Representative, Christian Schmidt, sentencing him to one year in prison and a six-year ban from holding public office. Dodik and RS authorities do not recognize Schmidt’s authority, viewing his decisions as illegitimate interference.
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Siniša Karan, a former Minister of Scientific-Technological Development and Higher Education in RS and previously a key figure in the entity’s security structures, was fielded by SNSD as Dodik’s political successor in this contest. After the results were announced, Karan framed the election as more than a routine vote: “These were not ordinary elections, but a plebiscite against the unfortunate [High Representative] Christian Schmidt, who thought he could overturn the people’s will.” He described the outcome as a defence of RS institutions, the presidency, and the entity’s constitutional autonomy within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dodik used the victory speech to sharply criticize opponents. He accused the international community, particularly High Representative Schmidt, and what he termed the “Bosniak-Muslim čaršija” (market/bazaar, implying Sarajevo’s political elite) of sowing chaos and pressuring the CIK. He dismissed opposition claims of electoral fraud as lies from “incompetents who don’t know how to accept defeat.” Dodik, who said he was traveling and attending important meetings rather than directly managing the campaign, rejected accusations personally: “I wasn’t even here; I was on important meetings and on the road. I had no time for elections. You’re lying.”
In a provocative closing remark, Dodik stated: “I think the balije from Sarajevo will wish for Milorad Dodik when they see what Karan plans to do.” (The term “balije” is a derogatory ethnic slur historically used against Bosniaks.)
The opposition, led by Blanuša – who was recently elected SDS president in December 2025 – has acknowledged the defeat in some statements, with Blanuša calling it “one match and one experience.” However, reports from opposition sources mentioned allegations of vote-buying and other irregularities during the rerun, though these have not been formally upheld by the CIK.
This outcome reinforces SNSD’s dominance in RS politics amid ongoing tensions with Bosnia’s central institutions and the international community. Karan’s interim presidency is expected to maintain the entity’s defiant stance on sovereignty issues, setting the stage for what Dodik portrayed as a broader test in the upcoming October elections. The CIK’s final certification remains pending, but the preliminary results mark a significant win for the ruling coalition following months of legal and political controversy.
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Caption: Milorad Dodik and Siniša Karan toast to celebrate victory [X account of Milorad Dodik]
Updated: February 9, 2026 - 07:13
