Party system and structure of party competition in the Republic of Srpska

Abstract

In this paper the author analyzes the party system and structure of party competition in the Republic of Srpska, from the first postwar general elections for the National Assembly held in 1996, until the latest elections held in 2014. Based on Giovanni Sartori?s typology of party systems, the author classifies the party system in the Republic of Srpska and analyzes the structure of party competition by using Peter Mair?s theoretical framework. Determination of party system in the Republic of Srpska based on its numerical/ideological typology does not tell us much about the very essence of the party system. By means of Peter Meir?s three criteria, the author analyzes the structure of party competition which fosters a wider perspective of understanding the party system and defines its essence more precisely. Regardless of the various changes to which political parties are exposed, the very essence of the party system is manifested through tendency to gravitate towards stable patterns of party competition.

Government Formation in Multi-level Settings: Evidence from Post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…in terms of the existence of a numerical set of relevant parties. The structured patterns of inter-party (inter-ethnic) competition cannot be established at the level of the entire state, while the central level of government only absorbs entity ethnic parties, on the basis of a consociational grand coalition (Vukojević 2017a(Vukojević , 2017b. Moreover, in B&H there are no statewide parties that could lead to the homogenization and nationalizationof election competition and homogeneity of their power.…”