Bosnian diaspora pushes to scrap voter registration and gain a bigger political voice, survey finds
A survey of 1,000 Bosnians living abroad points to frustration with bureaucracy at the ballot box and a desire for closer ties with the institutions back home.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens abroad want voting to be simpler and their political influence to be greater, according to early findings of a new survey reported by TRT Balkan.
The study was carried out between May and September this year by an international team of experts at the Institute for Research of Genocide Canada. It surveyed 1,000 Bosnian citizens living in more than ten countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, the Nordic states and the Benelux countries.
Registration seen as the main hurdle
The biggest complaint is the requirement for voters abroad to register separately before each election. Institute director Emir Ramić told TRT Balkan that nearly all respondents, 99 percent, want that step removed and replaced with an automatic system like those used in many Western democracies. He pointed to Canada, where the voter roll is compiled without people having to sign up for every vote.
The findings come after a registration period this year that many diaspora voters described as frustrating, with applications held up over proof of residence, mismatched signatures and incomplete paperwork.
Respondents also backed electronic voting, easier voting at embassies and consulates, and more polling stations in cities with large Bosnian communities. That matters most in large countries such as the US and Canada, where the nearest polling station can be a long journey away.
Voting as a link to home
For many respondents, casting a ballot is about more than choosing a party. Ramić said they see it as a way to protect their civic rights, confirm their citizenship and preserve their identity. They also tie it to the lives of relatives who stayed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to creating conditions that could one day allow them to return. In his words, no one will build those conditions for the diaspora unless it gets involved itself.
Among the policies respondents want from Bosnian institutions are tax relief, greater legal certainty, programmes for young people and stronger institutional support.
Calls to reform diplomatic missions
The survey is also critical of how Bosnia’s embassies and consulates deal with citizens abroad. According to Ramić, respondents feel the missions are cut off from diaspora communities and their main umbrella organisations, and want the structure changed. One proposal is to create dedicated departments to connect the country with its diaspora in science, culture, sport and business.
The study also looked at political representation, including the idea of special electoral units or a quota for citizens living abroad.
Looking beyond the next vote
Ramić said the research is not aimed only at the current election cycle but at improving future elections. A final analysis is expected to include more detailed data in table form, possibly broken down by country.
