Bosnian Serb Ally Sinisa Karan Wins Snap Election in Republika Srpska
In a closely contested race, **Sinisa Karan**, a close ally of former Bosnian Serb leader **Milorad Dodik**, has narrowly won the presidential vote in Bosnia’s Serb entity, *Republika Srpska*. Preliminary results indicate that Karan, who succeeded Dodik after his removal from office, has secured approximately 51% of the vote, with about 36% of the electorate casting ballots. This comes amid ongoing tensions between Republika Srpska’s leadership and the **international peace-monitoring envoy, Christian Schmidt**, who has been overseeing the 1995 **Dayton Peace Agreement**.
Karan’s apparent victory follows the **removal of Dodik** from his position as president of Republika Srpska in February, after a state court in Sarajevo convicted him of failing to comply with Schmidt’s rulings. Schmidt, a **German national**, holds a strong mandate to enforce the terms of the peace deal that ended the **1992-1995 Bosnian War**. The election was triggered by a court’s decision to annul **republic-level legislation** in Republika Srpska, which sought to reduce the authority of **international oversight mechanisms**.
Sinisa Karan, the candidate of Dodik’s **Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD)** and a former **minister for scientific and technological development**, has pledged to continue **Dodik’s policies** with “ever greater force,” stating that “the Serb people have won.” In contrast, Dodik, who remains a **political figure** in the region, has expressed a strong **loyalty to Karan**, claiming that his defeat will be “my victory too.”
Both candidates have **advocated for closer ties with Russia**, with Karan calling Moscow “one of the greatest allies and friends of Srpska.” Dodik, who has long criticized **Western influence**, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the West is attempting to provoke **a war with Russia** by using **Ukraine as a pawn**.
The election result reflects ongoing **political instability** within Republika Srpska, as the region continues to navigate its relationship with **international institutions** and **Russian influence**. The outcome may have broader implications for the **peace process** in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the **Dayton Agreement** remains a central framework for **ethnic reconciliation**.