Republika Srpska leaders propose new constitution

Milorad Dodik, leader of the SNSD, has announced a plan to proclaim a new Constitution of Republika Srpska on January 9, 2027, coinciding with Republic Day. The proposed document aims to modernize the constitutional framework, respect the constituent status of Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, and prevent institutional abuses while enabling more efficient decision-making.

Justice Minister Goran Selak emphasized that the new constitution must remain fully consistent with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the Dayton Peace Agreement. He noted that the text should result from domestic institutional work and broad public debate, focusing on clarifying competencies and improving legal certainty.

The initiative follows a previous draft being declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discussions regarding the new draft involve potential paths such as repeating procedures, drafting a completely new text, or seeking an accelerated process, with calls to include Bosniak and Croat representatives to find acceptable solutions.