CITIZENS’ OPINIONS ONSTATE-LEVEL CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM in Bosnia and Herzegovina

1000 CITIZENS

20QUESTIONS

2013JULY

POLITICAL CRISIS

86%88.5%

88.6%STATE

ENTITY

CANTONMUNICIPALITY

PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TRUST IN THEIR POLITICIANS

SEJD

IĆ &

FIN

CI

REF

OR

M T

O JO

IN E

UJO

ININ

G N

ATO

REDUCED ADMINISTRATION WAR CRIMES BUSINESS CLIMATE

POLITIC

AL

CRISIS

ECO

NO

MIC

CR

ISISC

OR

RU

PTIO

N

11ISSUES

CONSTITUTIONAL

REFORM

INTL

. COMMUNITY

LEAVIN

G BIH

0 11MOST IMPORTANTLEAST IMPORTANT

3.02

4.20

4.24

4.445.55 5.69

5.867.18

7.45

9.12

9.24

POLITICAL CRISIS

8.02

6.99

7.76

8.00

BOSNIAKS

SERBS

CROATS

OTHERS

0 11MOST IMPORTANTLEAST IMPORTANT

0 11

0 11

0 11

All citizens want to resolve the political crisis. They mistrust their political elites and are unhappy with the political situation and the structure of the country.

OF ALL CITIZENS

56% believe that politicians are not able to reach an agreement on state-level constitutional reforms because it is not in their interest to do so

FBIH BOSNIAK MAJORITY

FBIH CROAT MAJORITY

RS SERB MAJORITY

BRCKO DISTRIKT

58.2%

41.5%

56.6%

82.5%

ELECTED POLITICIANSREPRESENT INTERESTS OF THEIR PARTIESAT EVERY LEVEL:

ELECTED POLITICIANSREPRESENT INTERESTS OF THEIR CITIZENSAT EVERY LEVEL:

84%

“Ethnic identity is far more permanent and individuals will not be willing to vote for parties perceived as representing the interest of a different ethnic group even if these parties provide better and more efficient government.

A system favoring and enshrining a party system based on ethnicity therefore seems flawed. BiH should move from a system based on ethnic representation to a system based on representation of citizens.”

(Venice Commission, Opinion on the Constitutional Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Powers of the High Representative, 2005)

CRISIS

100

Political parties are effectively unaccountable to citizens.

87%CITIZENS THINK

POLITICIANS PRIORITIZE the interests of THEIR OWN PARTIES

over the interest of the citizens who elected them.

0

80

8.6%

6.3%6.5%

STATE ENTITY

CANTONMUNICIPALITY 12.7%

10

Almost 9 in 10 people think that politicians represent the interests of their parties over the interests of the citizens who elected them.

INCLUDING:

W h y ? ? ? ? ?