How the OSCE, under Swiss Chairpersonship, supports elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Thirty years after the first post-war elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland is once again taking on an important role: during the Swiss Chairpersonship in 2026, the OSCE is accompanying the country on its path toward the 2026 parliamentary elections. The OSCE supports electoral authorities with training and advice on new technologies and measures against electoral fraud – with the aim of sustainably strengthening transparency, the rule of law and institutional stability.
When Switzerland first held the Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1996, the organization played an important role in organising and monitoring the first elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Dayton Peace Agreement. At the time, these votes were considered a decisive step toward stabilising the war-torn country. Three decades later, Switzerland, as the acting OSCE Chair, is once again accompanying Bosnia and Herzegovina this year toward the parliamentary elections in October in a politically fragile environment that once again places high demands on transparency, the rule of law, and institutional stability.
For more than 30 years, the OSCE has been working in Bosnia and Herzegovina in close cooperation with state authorities, civil society and international partners. This cooperation has enabled significant progress. Nevertheless, the political situation remains tense.
Against this backdrop, the OSCE’s role remains important. The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the Central Election Commission (CEC) in four areas: strengthening the capacities of the election administration, introducing new election technologies, voter outreach, and reinforcing institutional mechanisms to combat electoral fraud.
Within the framework of the “Election Integrity Project”, the OSCE has invested heavily in the training of election officials in recent months. More than 4,300 people were trained at 107 locations across the country. In addition, 250 biometric voter-identification devices were procured and a pilot project was implemented in the Brčko District, where biometric identification and authentication systems were tested in 138 polling stations.
With a view to the 2026 parliamentary elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the nationwide introduction of new election technologies is planned. The OSCE therefore supports the CEC not only technically but also in an advisory capacity, including through the deployment of two international election-technology experts and the further development of IT applications within an e-voting platform.
At the same time, the OSCE Mission focuses on targeted communication with voters, especially first-time voters, women and persons with disabilities. It also supports the judiciary in taking more effective action against electoral fraud and in efficiently resolving disputes in the electoral process.
Since the end of the war, the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has observed 13 elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, most recently in November 2025 in Republika Srpska.
As OSCE Chair, Switzerland emphasises that functioning and accountable institutions form the backbone of democratic governance and long-term stability. It calls on all political actors to respect the constitutional framework, avoid polarisation and actively safeguard the integrity of the upcoming elections.
Credible elections are far more than a technical process: they are an expression of political maturity and a prerequisite for peace and stability.
Bilateral relations Switzerland–Bosnia and Herzegovina
Since 1995, Switzerland has been accompanying Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path toward European integration. Its engagement focuses on inclusive political and social reforms, the strengthening of effective institutions and public services, the promotion of economic development and the reinforcement of the health system.
An important component of this engagement is, for example, the Strengthening of Vocational Education and Training (SVET) project, which strengthens vocational education with a focus on digital and green skills. It aims to prepare young people specifically for the labour market and to secure qualified professionals for companies. SVET is part of a broader employment and economic project co-financed by Switzerland and Germany and implemented by GIZ. The SVET component itself is funded by Switzerland and runs from 2023 to 2026.
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