Banja Luka, August 6, 2025 – The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, has announced a referendum on his leadership after the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC) revoked his presidential mandate earlier today.
Dodik, who has been convicted and sentenced to one year in prison and barred from holding public office for six years, held an emergency meeting with his coalition partners following the CEC’s decision. He declared that the referendum will give the people a chance to decide whether he should remain in office.
“The mandate was given to me by the people, so I will listen to them in a referendum that will be held soon. They will decide my future,” Dodik said defiantly.
Earlier, Dodik rejected the authority of the Central Election Commission, stating that he does not recognize its legitimacy.
Legal Proceedings and Implications
The decision to revoke Dodik’s mandate stems from his criminal conviction, which undermines his legitimacy to continue serving as president of Republika Srpska — one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His legal team, led by attorney Goran Bubiq, has two days to appeal the decision to the Appellate Department of the BiH Court, which handles electoral disputes. Bubiq also announced plans to request a temporary suspension of the decision’s enforcement and to appeal to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Should the appeals process fail, the CEC is expected to initiate early elections for the presidency of Republika Srpska.
Political Ramifications
Dodik’s announcement of a referendum is seen as a direct challenge to Bosnia’s state institutions and could further deepen political tensions in the country. His move may be viewed by critics as an attempt to bypass judicial decisions and consolidate political control through populist means.
The international community has not yet responded, but observers warn that this crisis may escalate, potentially threatening the fragile post-war balance maintained in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the Dayton Peace Agreement.
