Alija Izetbegvic, the late Bosnian Muslim leader will be succeeded by his son Bakir, who is thought to be more ready to cooperate with the other ethnic groups in the country that the incumbent Muslim President Haris Silajdzic.
Bosnia has a rotational Presidency, with three Presidents from each major ethnic divide in the post-war country; one from the Bosnian Muslims, one from the Bosnian Catholics, or Croats and one from the Serbian Republic.
The election was closely watched by Western states to see whether Bosnia is taking steps towards the EU, or rather sinking further into conflict and stagnation. However the event was marred when possible fraud on the part of the Serbian candidate was highlighted by election officials.
Since the last elections in 2006 the divide between the country’s leaders has deepened, with the Croat-Muslim federation increasingly at odds with the country’s other autonomous region the Serbian Republic.
Izetbegovic told reporters that "We are going to stabilize the situation in Bosnia and to bring a better future to the citizens of Bosnia. This means the peace, better conditions for development of economy and employment."
Bosnia remains on the end of the list of Balkan nations wanting EU membership. Since the 1992-95 war, which saw over 100,000 people lose their lives, the country has failed to institute meaningful political or economic reforms, and despite holding five elections since the war, lags behind other nations.
Voters in this election were voting for presidential members, as well as deputies in the regional, cantonal and central parliament.
