Bosnians head to the polls

Some three million Bosnians are casting their ballots on Sunday at every level of the country's complex and highly decentralized political system, which is designed to ensure ethnic power sharing - often at the expense of effective governance.

Under the US-mediated settlement that ended the brutal 1992-1995 civil war, Bosnia is divided between two largely sovereign states. The Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina is shared by the Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks, while the Republika Srpska is home to the Orthodox Serbs.

The two states each have their own regional parliament, and the Republika Srpska also has its own president. On the national level, the three ethnic communities each select a representative for the collective presidency. The national parliament elects the government, which runs the country's day-to-day affairs.

Competing visions

Separatism remains a major challenge, with the Croat community pushing for its own state within Bosnia, while Serbs want to completely secede.

"Bosnia is an impossible state which cannot meet the interests of any of its peoples and should dissolve," said Milorad Dodik, who's running for another term as the president of the Republika Srpska.

The Muslim Bosniaks, for their part, want a strong, unified state.

Progress 'at a standstill'

The complexity of Bosnia's governing system often leads to gridlock, preventing the country from making economic and social progress.

In a 2014 report, the European Commission said Bosnia "remains at a standstill," warning that after the elections it "will be essential for the country to tackle urgent socio-economic reforms and to progress on its European agenda."

Last February, popular protests broke out across Bosnia due to frustration over endemic corruption and high unemployment. Nearly 50 percent of Bosnians are jobless. Those that do find work earn a meager $530 (419 euros) per month on average. In contrast, politicians earn around $3,000 per month.

slk/tj (dpa, Reuters)