Bosnia and Herzegovina moves to appoint new High Representative amid US‑European split

The International Conference on the Implementation of the Peace Agreement (PIC) convened in Sarajevo for a two‑day session to choose a successor to Christian Schmidt, who resigned in May after nearly five years as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi arrived in the city and is widely regarded as the leading candidate, backed by the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee that Washington supports the Italian candidate, describing him as “an Italian gentleman who could provide stability.”

European members of the PIC, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, argue for a nominee less dependent on U.S. influence, highlighting French envoy René Troccaz as a possible alternative. No consensus has emerged, and the council may postpone the appointment if disagreements persist.

Former High Representative Valentin Inzko warned the council against dismantling the Bonn powers that have underpinned peace for three decades, urging caution before any premature changes. Bosnian Serb politician Jelena Trivić criticized the process as illegal and illegitimate, citing earlier parliamentary resolutions that reject external imposition of a new High Representative.

The deliberations continue amid competing diplomatic pressures, with the outcome seen as pivotal for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political stability and its European integration path.