Bosnia‑Herzegovina OHR faces contest over next High Representative

Ahead of a meeting of the Peace Implementation Council, the future of Bosnia‑Herzegovina’s Office of the High Representative (OHR) is uncertain. The current High Representative, Christian Schmid, has offered to resign and the council must decide whether to appoint a successor, limit the mandate, or restructure the office. A power struggle is emerging among foreign actors – the United States on one side and the European Union, represented by France and the United Kingdom, on the other – each seeking a candidate acceptable to their interests.

Bosnian politicians have voiced differing views. Dragan Čović of the HDZ‑BiH stressed that the council will likely dismiss the current representative and urged a consensus on a new appointee. Others, such as Robert Kolobara, argued for a shorter mandate and greater domestic control over political processes. The outcome will shape how international influence is exercised in Bosnia and the wider Western Balkans.