No Majority for Urgent Procedure: SDP's Proposal to Lower the Electoral Threshold to 10 Percent on Hold

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The request by SDP BiH MPs Mirsad Mešić, Saša Magazinović and Denis Bećirović to consider the Proposal for amendments to the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina under urgent legislative procedure was on the agenda of the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. Since there was no entity majority from the RS for this proposal on urgency after coordination, it will be reconsidered at the next session.

During the debate, Senad Šepić (NB) requested that the law go through regular procedure and that the electoral threshold be abolished to zero percent.

The proposed SDP amendments stipulate that the internal threshold on candidate lists be returned to 10 percent, which a candidate must have from the total number of votes won by a party to enter the legislative body.

The SDP believes that the 10 percent threshold represents the best balance between the will of the party forming the candidate list for elections and the will of the citizens.

Lazar Prodanović (SNSD) noted that the law providing for a 20 percent threshold had not been applied earlier.

- For the RS National Assembly, only four MPs would not pass if the existing law were applied, and only three out of 30 direct mandates at the state level would not pass. This is a matter of additional motivation within preferences - Prodanović pointed out.

Nikola Špirić (SNSD) stressed that any amendment to the Election Law five months before the elections, even of a technical nature, confuses citizens.

- I fear that we are talking here so that nothing happens. We have been in the mandate for four years, and we are finishing amendments to the electoral legislation two or three months before the deadline - Špirić pointed out.

Salko Sokolović (NB) emphasized that the regularity of elections is most important.

- Technically, it must be resolved so that voters, not electors, choose, and later we can address other issues - Sokolović opined, adding that electronic voting inspires confidence.

- We need to see if we have that majority, and then address other issues - Sokolović pointed out.

Damir Arnaut (SBB) said that the proposal for amendments to the Election Law proposed by the Independent Bloc does not introduce electronic voting.

Šepić said that their proposal introduces the possibility of electronic voting.

- In BiH, it is currently only possible to vote on paper ballots, and the amendments we propose provide another option - added Šepić.

Hazim Rančić (SDA) said that the intention of the proposer is not as we heard.

- A larger number of councilors pass based on a threshold higher than 20 percent. There are exceptions, but they are not the rule. I will support both the law and the procedure, and the most important thing is that the elections are fair, and that whoever passes is the will of the citizens, not of party bodies, list holders or party presidents. It is not the same when someone is a list holder, has media coverage, speaks at rallies, as those who do not - Rančić pointed out.

Nikola Lovrinović (HDZ) said that he will not support any amendments to the Election Law without the implementation of the Constitutional Court of BiH ruling.

- I will not support even technical amendments. Let such matters be placed in commissions - Lovrinović said.

Saša Magazinović (SDP) responded to the speakers and pointed out that it is not true that the results for the RS National Assembly are such that everyone exceeds 20 percent.

- The list holder Igor Radojičić was the only one who exceeded 20 percent. I am correcting the incorrect claim by Prodanović. He cited this as an argument against the urgent procedure - Magazinović said.