Dissatisfaction in SDA: The same people in multiple positions, there must be more young people and women

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Party of Democratic Action will hold its 7th Congress in mid-September, where the president of SDA, deputy president, vice presidents, members of the Main Board, Supervisory Board, and Ethics Committee will be elected. Around 1,500 delegates are expected at the Congress.

For now, it is certain that one of the candidates will be the current president, Bakir Izetbegović, although the names of Denis Bećirović and Šemsudin Mehmedović are being heard more and more often.

President Bakir Izetbegović had an interesting address at the SDA Women's Association regarding the state of SDA, its personnel, its plans, and the Statute that is being prepared.

"SDA is aging; when you look at all our personnel in positions, we are all on average 10 to 15 years older than the post-war generation during Alija Izetbegović's time. We are cumbersome and quite inert," said Izetbegović, stating that SDA has not been able to re-register its membership for half a year.

Although SDA is aging and needs new energy through rejuvenation, Izetbegović did not seize the opportunity to hand over the position of SDA president to someone younger. It is interesting that he also criticized the multiplicity of functions held by one person, and said that this will change and that the mandate will be limited to 12 years. Izetbegović himself has already been president for four years. Previously, Izetbegović was criticized for several people holding multiple important party functions for years. This is the case with Asim Sarajlić, who is also the vice-president of SDA, the president of the Personnel Commission, the president of the Cantonal Board of SDA Sarajevo, and was the head of the Election Headquarters.

Izetbegović also announced a reduction in the number of vice presidents (there are currently seven), but also changes in the SDA Presidency, which has no young person under 35 years of age among its 29 members. There are only three women among them.

He added that quotas for women, youth, Serbs, and Croats who should be members of the Main Board will be determined. He criticized that SDA has no breakthrough into the "Croatian and Serbian corpus."

"We are like a key with only one tooth, the Bosniak one, and the lock requires three teeth to open it. We need to add those two teeth, even if small. We need to make a step from a Bosniak to a Bosnian party."

He announced the establishment of an Association of Senators – people who have been presidents, prime ministers, ministers, ambassadors, professors, and who would assist the current party leadership.