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7 clusters · 66 sources · 47 days · First seen · Last updated

Bosnia and Herzegovina labor shortages and declining voterry

Overview

Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face severe labor shortages and high emigration rates, particularly among the youth. Research from the KULT Institute for Youth Development indicates that over 70 percent of young people intend to leave the country following their education, driven by corruption, poor living conditions, and a lack of professional prospects.

This demographic trend is accompanied by a significant decline in political engagement. While youth voter turnout dropped from 51.44 percent in 2020 to 45.3 percent in the 2024 local elections, recent data shows a broader collapse in participation. Total voter turnout has fallen below 50 percent for the first time since the 1990s, with approximately 41.48 percent of registered voters participating—a decrease of roughly 220,000 voters compared to the previous cycle.

Analysts attribute this decline to voter apathy, political fatigue, and emigration. The Coalition ‘Pod lupom’ noted that the drop may also stem from a reduction in previous electoral abuses, such as voting on behalf of deceased or absent individuals. Furthermore, the Central Election Commission reported that approximately 4 percent of all ballots cast were invalid, with rates exceeding 9 percent in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. Experts suggest these errors occurred despite the implementation of new technologies like ballot scanners and biometric identification.

In Republika Srpska, the workforce deficit remains acute, with high demand for educators, medical professionals, and skilled tradespeople. Addressing these systemic issues requires increasing the involvement of educated individuals in politics to combat civic apathy and stabilize the economy.

Entities

Bosnia and Herzegovina · KULT Institute for Youth Development · Republika Srpska · Široki Brijeg · Željko Babić

Timeline

  1. [POLITICS] 15 sources
    Bosnia and Herzegovina faces declining youth voter turnout and political distrust

    Youth voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina is declining, with a KULT Institute study showing only 3.1 percent of young people trust political parties amid widespread dissatisfaction and systemic challenges.

  2. [BUSINESS] 7 sources
    Republika Srpska faces labor shortages in healthcare, education, and trades

    Employers in Republika Srpska report shortages in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and trades, despite a 6.5% year-on-year decrease in registered unemployment.

  3. [POLITICS] 17 sources
    Bosnia and Herzegovina youth face high emigration rates

    Over 70 percent of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina plan to emigrate due to political distrust, corruption, and lack of professional opportunities, according to KULT Institute research.

  4. [BUSINESS] 16 sources
    Labor shortages impact Serbia and Republika Srpska

    Serbia and Republika Srpska face labor shortages driven by demographic shifts. Locksmiths and construction workers are in high demand, while bureaucratic delays hinder the recruitment of foreign labor.

  5. [BUSINESS] 25 sources
    Regional economic trends show slowing growth and labor shortages

    Croatia's GDP growth slowed to 1.7 percent in Q2 2026, while Republika Srpska faces labor shortages, increasingly relying on foreign workers to fill gaps in sectors like construction.

  6. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bosnia and Herzegovina sees rise in vocational retraining

    People in Bosnia and Herzegovina are increasingly turning to vocational courses in accounting, culinary arts, and digital marketing to quickly enter the workforce without university degrees.

  7. [BUSINESS] 8 sources
    Bosnia and Herzegovina faces labor shortages amid migration

    Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a critical labor shortage and high youth unemployment, with 30.1% of young people jobless as skilled workers continue to migrate to countries like Germany.

Sources

013info.rs · 034portal.hr · 072info.com · 6yka.com · banjaluka.com · bijeljina.com · biznis.ba · biznis.me · biznis.rs · bl-portal.com · bnm-portal.com · bosnainfo.ba · centralna.ba · danas.rs · dnevno.hr · ezadar.net.hr · glas-slavonije.hr · glasistre.hr · hercegovina.in · hip.ba · hms.ba · impulsportal.net · index.hr · inmedia.ba · istinomjer.ba · jajce-online.com · lider.media · lidermedia.hr · livno-online.com · ljportal.com · lug-prozor.info · magazin.hrt.hr · makpress.mk · maxportal.hr · monitor.hr · n1info.ba · n1info.rs · nap.ba · narod.hr · nova.rs · novaekonomija.rs · ogportal.com · pogled.ba · poslovni.hr · radiobrcko.ba · radiomitrovicasever.com · radiosarajevo.ba · rtvslon.ba

This summary has been updated 11 times: see revision history