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Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg
Željko Komšić 2023 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Željko Komšić

since 16 July 2025
Member of Presidency
Seat Presidency Building, Sarajevo
Appointer Popularly elected
Term length Eight months
rotated among Members of
Presidency over four year term
Formation 5 October 1996
First holder Alija Izetbegović
Salary 3,091 EUR per month

The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is like the main leader of a special group called the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This group acts as the head of state for the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Think of the head of state as the official representative of a country. The Presidency is made up of three people who share this important job.

Željko Komšić is the person currently holding this position. He started his current term on July 16, 2025.

How the Presidency Works

Three Leaders for One Country

The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina explains how the Presidency is set up. It has three members, and each one represents a different main group of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These groups are the Bosniak, the Serb, and the Croat members.

The Bosniak and Croat members are chosen by voters in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serb member is chosen by voters in Republika Srpska. This system makes sure all major groups have a voice in the country's leadership.

Serving the Country

Once elected, all three members of the Presidency serve together for four years. A person can be elected for two terms in a row, but there's no limit to how many terms they can serve in total, as long as they don't serve more than two consecutively.

Even though all three members are leaders, one of them is chosen to be the "Chairman." This Chairman position rotates among the three members. Each person gets to be Chairman for eight months. The person who received the most votes in the election usually becomes the first Chairman for that four-year period.

Leaders Since Independence (1992–Present)

Since Bosnia and Herzegovina became an independent country, many people have served in the Presidency and as its Chairman. Here are some of the leaders who have held this important role.

      Party of Democratic Action       Socialist Party       Croatian Democratic Union       Social Democratic Party       Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina       Serb Democratic Party       Alliance of Independent Social Democrats       Democratic Front       Party of Democratic Progress

Picture Name
(Born–Died)
Group Time in Office Political Party
Started Ended Length
President of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
1 Alija Izetbegovic (cropped).jpg Alija Izetbegović
(1925–2003)
Bosniak March 3, 1992 October 5, 1996 4 years, 216 days SDA
Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(1) Alija Izetbegovic (cropped).jpg Alija Izetbegović
(1925–2003)
Bosniak October 5, 1996 October 13, 1998 2 years, 8 days SDA
2 Zivko Radisic (cropped).jpg Živko Radišić
(1937–2021)
Serb October 13, 1998 June 15, 1999 245 days SP
3 Coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Ante Jelavić
(born 1963)
Croat June 15, 1999 February 14, 2000 244 days HDZ BiH
(1) AlijaIzetbegovic1.jpg Alija Izetbegović
(1925–2003)
Bosniak February 14, 2000 October 14, 2000 243 days SDA
(2) Zivko Radisic (cropped).jpg Živko Radišić
(1937–2021)
Serb October 14, 2000 June 14, 2001 243 days SP
4 Coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Jozo Križanović
(1944–2009)
Croat June 14, 2001 February 14, 2002 245 days SDP BiH
5 Coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Beriz Belkić
(1946–2023)
Bosniak February 14, 2002 October 28, 2002 256 days SBiH
6 Mirko Šarović (cropped).jpg Mirko Šarović
(born 1956)
Serb October 28, 2002 April 2, 2003 156 days SDS
7 Dragan Čović 2015 (cropped).jpg Dragan Čović
(born 1956)
Acting
Croat April 2, 2003 April 10, 2003 8 days HDZ BiH
8 Borislav Paravac, Pope johnpaul funeral politics.jpg Borislav Paravac
(born 1943)
Serb April 10, 2003 June 27, 2003 78 days SDS
(7) Dragan Čović 2015 (cropped).jpg Dragan Čović
(born 1956)
Croat June 27, 2003 February 28, 2004 246 days HDZ BiH
9 Sulejman Tihić (2006-03-07).jpg Sulejman Tihić
(1951–2014)
Bosniak February 28, 2004 October 28, 2004 243 days SDA
(8) Borislav Paravac, Pope johnpaul funeral politics.jpg Borislav Paravac
(born 1943)
Serb October 28, 2004 June 28, 2005 243 days SDS
10 Ivo Miro Jović (cropped).jpg Ivo Miro Jović
(born 1950)
Croat June 28, 2005 February 28, 2006 245 days HDZ BiH
(9) Sulejman Tihić.jpg Sulejman Tihić
(1951–2014)
Bosniak February 28, 2006 November 6, 2006 251 days SDA
11 Nebojsa Radmanovic.jpg Nebojša Radmanović
(born 1949)
Serb November 6, 2006 July 6, 2007 242 days SNSD
12 McElhaney Radmanovic Komsic (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 6, 2007 March 6, 2008 244 days SDP BiH
13 Haris Silajdžić.jpg Haris Silajdžić
(born 1945)
Bosniak March 6, 2008 November 6, 2008 245 days SBiH
(11) Nebojsa Radmanovic.jpg Nebojša Radmanović
(born 1949)
Serb November 6, 2008 July 6, 2009 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić.jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 6, 2009 March 6, 2010 243 days SDP BiH
(13) Visit to the Western Balkans region (cropped).jpg Haris Silajdžić
(born 1945)
Bosniak March 6, 2010 November 10, 2010 249 days SBiH
(11) Visit of Nebojša Radmanović to the EC.jpg Nebojša Radmanović
(born 1949)
Serb November 10, 2010 July 10, 2011 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 10, 2011 March 10, 2012 244 days SDP BiH
14 Bakir Izetbegović 2011.jpg Bakir Izetbegović
(born 1956)
Bosniak March 10, 2012 November 10, 2012 245 days SDA
(11) Visit of Nebojša Radmanović to the EC.jpg Nebojša Radmanović
(born 1949)
Serb November 10, 2012 July 10, 2013 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 10, 2013 March 10, 2014 243 days DF
(14) Izetbegović, Bakir.jpg Bakir Izetbegović
(born 1956)
Bosniak March 10, 2014 November 17, 2014 245 days SDA
15 Mladen Ivanic (cropped).jpg Mladen Ivanić
(born 1958)
Serb November 17, 2014 July 17, 2015 242 days PDP
(7) Dragan Čović EP 2017 (cropped).jpg Dragan Čović
(born 1956)
Croat July 17, 2015 March 17, 2016 244 days HDZ BiH
(14) Izetbegović, Bakir.jpg Bakir Izetbegović
(born 1956)
Bosniak March 17, 2016 November 17, 2016 245 days SDA
(15) Mladen Ivanic (cropped).jpg Mladen Ivanić
(born 1958)
Serb November 17, 2016 July 17, 2017 242 days PDP
(7) Dragan Čović 2020.jpg Dragan Čović
(born 1956)
Croat July 17, 2017 March 17, 2018 243 days HDZ BiH
(14) A23A9154 (41248738975) (cropped).jpg Bakir Izetbegović
(born 1956)
Bosniak March 17, 2018 November 20, 2018 248 days SDA
16 Milorad Dodik (2019-03-04) (cropped).jpg Milorad Dodik
(born 1959)
Serb November 20, 2018 July 20, 2019 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić (2020-02-16) (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 20, 2019 March 20, 2020 244 days DF
17 Šefik Džaferović - 2019 - P041499-792839 (cropped).jpg Šefik Džaferović
(born 1957)
Bosniak March 20, 2020 November 20, 2020 245 days SDA
(16) Visit of Milorad Dodik to the EC (cropped).jpg Milorad Dodik
(born 1959)
Serb November 20, 2020 July 20, 2021 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić 2021.jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 20, 2021 March 20, 2022 243 days DF
(17) EU-Western Balkans meeting (2022) (cropped).jpg Šefik Džaferović
(born 1957)
Bosniak March 20, 2022 November 16, 2022 241 days SDA
18 Željka Cvijanović 2022.jpg Željka Cvijanović
(born 1967)
Serb November 16, 2022 July 16, 2023 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić 2023 (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 16, 2023 March 16, 2024 244 days DF
19 Denis Bećirović at Palazzo del Quirinale, 2024.jpg Denis Bećirović
(born 1975)
Bosniak March 16, 2024 November 16, 2024 245 days SDP BiH
(18) Željka Cvijanović 2024 (cropped).jpg Željka Cvijanović
(born 1967)
Serb November 16, 2024 July 16, 2025 242 days SNSD
(12) Željko Komšić 2023 (cropped).jpg Željko Komšić
(born 1964)
Croat July 16, 2025 Currently in office 19 days DF

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