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{{Short description|Bosnian Serb political party}}
{{Short description|The political party of Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
| name = {{nowrap|Alliance of Independent Social Democrats<br /> <small>Савез независних социјалдемократа</small><br /> <small>Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata</small>}}
| name = {{nowrap|Alliance of Independent Social Democrats<br /> <small>Савез независних социјалдемократа</small><br /> <small>Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata</small>}}
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| leader4_name = Radovan Kovačević
| leader4_name = Radovan Kovačević
| foundation = {{start date and age|1996|03|10|df=y}}<br/>{{start date and age|2002|05|01|df=y}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|1996|03|10|df=y}}<br/>{{start date and age|2002|05|01|df=y}}
| predecessor = Party of Independent Social Democrats,<br/>Democratic Socialist Party,<br/>Social Liberal Party,<br/>Democratic Party for Banjaluka and Krajina,<br/>New Workers’ Party
| headquarters = [[Banja Luka]]
| headquarters = Kralja Petra II Karađorđevića 15,<br/>[[Banja Luka]],<br/>{{flag|Republic of Srpska}},<br/>{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
| newspaper = ''Odgovor'',<br/>''Argumenti''
| newspaper = ''Odgovor'',<br/>''Argumenti''
| youth_wing = Young Social Democrats
| youth_wing = Young Social Democrats
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| membership = 192,707<ref>{{cite news|last1=Popadić|first1=Slobodan|date=5 March 2019|title=SNSD slavi 23. rođendan, Dodik: Republika Srpska je epicentar našeg djelovanja|url=https://srpskainfo.com/snsd-slavi-23-rodjendan-dodik-republika-srpska-je-epicentar-naseg-djelovanja/|language=sr-ba|work=Srpskainfo|access-date=30 July 2020}}</ref>
| membership = 192,707<ref>{{cite news|last1=Popadić|first1=Slobodan|date=5 March 2019|title=SNSD slavi 23. rođendan, Dodik: Republika Srpska je epicentar našeg djelovanja|url=https://srpskainfo.com/snsd-slavi-23-rodjendan-dodik-republika-srpska-je-epicentar-naseg-djelovanja/|language=sr-ba|work=Srpskainfo|access-date=30 July 2020}}</ref>
| membership_year = 2019
| membership_year = 2019
| ideology = [[Populism]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe">[https://openarchive.tk.mta.hu/424/1/Populist%20Parties%20in%20Contemporary%20Europe_12-06-2020-FINAL.pdf Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe]</ref><br/>[[Serbian nationalism]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe"/><br/>[[Social democracy]]<ref name="Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited">[https://books.google.com/books?id=7WUxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343 Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited]</ref>
| ideology = [[Populism]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe">[https://openarchive.tk.mta.hu/424/1/Populist%20Parties%20in%20Contemporary%20Europe_12-06-2020-FINAL.pdf Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe]</ref><br/>[[Entity|Entity interests]]<ref name="Statue of the party in Serbian 2019. (One of the program goals of the party: the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Srpska and the preservation, respect and consistent application of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which guarantees the constitutional-legal position of the Republic of Srpska.)">[https://snsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/STATUT_SNSD_usvojen_na_VI_Saboru.pdf Statue of the party in Serbian 2019. (One of the program goals of the party: the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Srpska and the preservation, respect and consistent application of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which guarantees the constitutional-legal position of the Republic of Srpska.)]</ref><br/>[[Social democracy]]<ref name="Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited">[https://books.google.com/books?id=7WUxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343 Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited]</ref>
| position = {{nowrap|''Economic:''<br />[[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe"/><ref name="Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited"/><br />''Social:''<br />[[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe"/><ref name="books.google.com">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WUxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343|title = Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited|isbn = 9781443855709|last1 = Rosas|first1 = João Cardoso|last2 = Ferreira|first2 = Ana Rita|date = 8 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsFqDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA87| title=The Presidentialisation of Political Parties in the Western Balkans| isbn=9783319973524| last1=Passarelli| first1=Gianluca| date=January 2018}}</ref>}}
| position = [[Big tent]]<ref name="Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe"/><br/>[[Centre-left]]<ref name="Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited"/>
| national = [[Alliance of Independent Social Democrats]]—[[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]]—[[Democratic Union (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Democratic Union]]—[[United Srpska]]—[[ National Democratic Movement (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|People’s Democratic Movement]]—People’s Party of Srpska
| national = [[Alliance of Independent Social Democrats]]—[[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]]—[[Democratic Union (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Democratic Union]]—[[United Srpska]]—[[ National Democratic Movement (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|People’s Democratic Movement]]—People’s Party of Srpska
| european =
| european =
| international = [[Socialist International]] (2008—2012)<ref>{{cite web |title=Socijalistička interancionala suspendovala Dodikovu stranku |url=https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/socijalisticka-interancionala-suspendovala-dodikovu-stranku/gh1d61m |website=Blic.rs |date=2 July 2011}}</ref>
| international = [[Socialist International]] (2008—2012)<ref name="Socialist International">[https://www.blic.rs/vesti/politika/socijalisticka-interancionala-suspendovala-dodikovu-stranku/gh1d61m] Socialist International</ref>
| colours = {{colorbox|#a81818}} {{colorbox|white}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.snsd.org/}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.snsd.org/}}
| country = Bosnia and Herzegovina
| country = {{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
| seats2_title = [[House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
| seats2_title = [[House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|6|42|{{party color|Alliance of Independent Social Democrats}}}}
| seats2 = {{Composition bar|6|42|{{party color|Alliance of Independent Social Democrats}}}}
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}}
}}


The '''Alliance of Independent Social Democrats''' ({{Lang-sr|Савез независних социјалдемократа|Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata}}; abbr. СНСД or '''SNSD''') is a [[Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Serb]] political party in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]. Founded in 1996, it is the governing party in [[Republika Srpska]], with its leader, [[Milorad Dodik]], serving as the current member of the [[Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]. SNSD members [[Željka Cvijanović]] and [[Radovan Višković]] are the current [[President of Republika Srpska]] and [[Prime Minister of Republika Srpska]], respectively.
The '''Alliance of Independent Social Democrats''' ({{lang-sr-cyrl|Савез независних социјалдемократа|Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata}}, abbr. СНСД, '''SNSD''') is a political party of the constitutional-legal entity [[Republic of Srpska]], one of the two constitutional-legal entities of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]].


The president of the party is [[Milorad Dodik]].
The creation of the SNSD can be traced back to the Independent Members of Parliament Group, which eventually grew to become the '''Party of Independent Social Democrats'''. During this time, the party served as the only opposition to the dominance of the [[ultra-nationalist]] [[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]] (SDS), which was led by [[Radovan Karadžić]] for the majority of the 1990s. The SNSD was seen as a moderate and non-extremist alternative to the SDS, with many of its members, including Dodik, being part of the former non-nationalist and multi-ethnic [[Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia]].


Within SNSD, the organization Young Social Democrats operates, as well as Active Women Social Democrats.
The SNSD's first real electoral success was recorded in 2006, where it won 41 of the 83 seats in the [[National Assembly (Republika Srpska)|National Assembly of Republika Srpska]], attracting 44.95% of the popular vote. Since then, the party has gradually abandoned its reformist ideology for a more aggressive advocacy of [[Serbian nationalism]], threatening the [[Proposed secession of Republika Srpska|secession of Republika Srpska]] from the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="rferl.org">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/republika-srpska-statehood-day-defying-court-ban/28964699.html|title=Defying Ban, Republika Srpska Proceeds With 'Statehood Day'|website=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty}}</ref><ref name="Reuters Staff">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-sanctions-bosnia-dodik-idUSKBN1512WI|title=U.S. imposes sanctions on Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Dodik|author=Reuters Staff|newspaper=U.S.|date=17 January 2017|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cps.ba/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/POLITICAL-SYSTEM-OF-BiH_FINAL.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215120050/http://cps.ba/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/POLITICAL-SYSTEM-OF-BiH_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==History==
== Platform ==
According to the party's Statute, SNSD was founded and exists as a party of [[freedom]], [[peace]] and [[democracy]].<ref name="Statut 2019. (in Serbian)">[https://snsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/STATUT_SNSD_usvojen_na_VI_Saboru.pdf Statut 2019. (in Serbian)]</ref>
===1991–1996===
The party grew out of the Independent Members of Parliament Caucus (IMPC), known as "the club", of the [[National Assembly (Republika Srpska)|National Assembly of Republika Srpska]] (NSRS) in 1996.{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=94}} The club was in opposition to the [[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]] (SDS) during the [[Bosnian War]] (1992–96).{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=94}} The IMPC was established from the caucus of [[Serbs|ethnic Serb]] members of the Parliament of the [[Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina]] elected in 1990 from the election list of the [[Union of Reform Forces]].{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} The Serb members of the Parliament of [[SR Bosnia and Herzegovina]], the majority of the [[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]] (SDS), including the members of the IMPC, established the Assembly of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 1991 (later renamed National Assembly of the Republika Srpska), following the majority of the parliament (mostly [[Croats]] and [[Bosniaks]]) approved the "Memorandum on Sovereignty" on 15 October 1991. In 1992, the Bosnian parliament held [[Bosnian independence referendum, 1992|an independence referendum]] which led to the declaration of the [[Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina]].


In its activities, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats advocates the achievement of the following program goals:<ref name="Statut 2019. (in Serbian)"/>
[[File:Milorad Dodik (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Milorad Dodik]] has been the party's president since its foundation in 1996]]


* the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Srpska and the preservation, respect and consistent application of the [[Dayton Agreement|General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina]], which guarantees the constitutional-legal position of the Republic of Srpska,
The absolute majority of the newly founded NSRS was from the SDS. The IMPC was the only parliamentary opposition from the founding of the National Assembly through the first post-war [[Bosnian general election, 1996|elections in September 1996]]. The Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) participated in the elections in the "Union for Peace and Progress" coalition along with the [[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party of RS]] (SPRS) and a minor party.{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=94}} The club and later party (SNSD) was chaired by [[Milorad Dodik]].{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=94}}
* building and strengthening democratic institutions, the state of welfare and social justice through parliamentary democracy and the rule of law,
* exercising the rights and freedoms of citizens provided for by the [[European Convention on Human Rights|European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms]], without discrimination on any ground,
* preservation and improvement of special and parallel ties between the Republic of Srpska and the Republic of Serbia,
* improvement of relations between the Republic of Srpska and the diaspora,
* commitment to accession and membership in the [[European Union]] with respect for the constitutional competences of the Republic of Srpska and respect for the agreed principles of coordination of the European integration process,
* building a stable, democratic and prosperous state,
* development and encouragement of creativity, affirmation of the rights and freedoms of individuals and social groups,
* development of the market economy and protection of property, a just and solidary society,
* realization of all forms of civil liberties,
* reducing social inequality and creating a system of equal opportunities,
* development of friendly relations between ethnic groups,
* harmonious and accelerated social development.


=== 1997-2004 ===
== History ==
=== 1990 — 1996 ===
By the time of the next local elections in 1997, about twenty municipal committees had been formed, and it ran independently in 24 municipalities of the Republic of Srpska, mainly in Krajina and Posavina.<ref name="istorija stranke">{{cite web |title=Istorija Stranke |url=https://snsd.org/istorijat/ |website=snsd.org}}</ref> In 1997, there was a split in the Serb Democratic Party, in which [[Biljana Plavšić]], the president of Repubika Srpska left the party following internal clashes.{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=88}} The People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska was dissolved and parliamentary elections were held simultaneously with local elections. The Party of Independent Social Democrats received twice as much support compared to the previous elections just a year earlier.<ref name="istorija stranke" /> The then western-backed Plavšić nominated Dodik for Prime Minister and he was elected in the January 1998 elections, largely being seen as a moderate.{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=94}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Moderate Elected Prime Minister of Bosnian Serbs |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-18-mn-9643-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Reuters |date=18 January 1998}}</ref> In the party's early years it was active in the "Sloga" (''freedom'') coalition with Plavšić's [[Serb National Alliance]] and the [[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]], whose leader at the time was [[Živko Radišić]]. In 1998 another parliamentary election was held. In the elections for the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska, the Party of Independent Social Democrats won 6 parliamentary seats.<ref name="istorija stranke" />
The first multi-party elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were held on 18 November 1990. As a member of the anti-war, non-nationalist and multi-ethnic [[Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia]], Milorad Dodik became a deputy in the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time, which was part of the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]]. The Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia was, by its essence, the only organized attempt at the democratic transition of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into a modern European and democratic state of all the peoples and republics that constituted it.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)">[https://snsd.org/istorijat/ Istorija stranke (in Serbian)]</ref>


After Croats and Muslims passed the Declaration of Independence in the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, overriding the Serb deputies, the majority of Serb deputies, including Milorad Dodik, left the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 1991 and formed the Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina (later: [[National Assembly of Republika Srpska|People's Assembly of Republic of Srpska]]). On 9 January 1992, this assembly proclaimed the Republic of the Serb people in Bosnia and Herzegovina (later: [[Republic of Srpska]]).<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
1999 was marked by difficulties in the region, including the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]] and internal strife with the blockade of the work of the Government by the People’s Assembly, a vote of no-confidence and the removal of [[Nikola Poplašen]] from the post of President of Republika Srpska by the High Representative [[Carlos Westendorp]]. Meanwhile the government led by Dodik received significant support from international institutions.<ref name="istorija stranke" />


In 1993, due to disagreement with the program and working methods of the [[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]], Milorad Dodik formed the Club of Independent Deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, thus becoming the first opposition to the then current government, which consisted of the Serb Democratic Party and its president [[Radovan Karadžić]]. The club operated throughout the war until the signing of the [[Dayton Agreement|Dayton Peace Agreement]] and the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
In December 1999 the Social Liberal Party of Republika Srpska merged into the SNSD, and after local elections in 2000 [[Nikola Špirić]]'s [[Democratic Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Democratic Socialist Party]] (DSP) merged into it in 2001. The SNSD then changed its name to the "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats", keeping its old abbreviation.{{sfn|Stojarová|Emerson|2013|p=89}} DSP was a splinter party of the SPRS. At the Unifying Congress in May 2002, it elected Milorad Dodik as president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, with [[Nebojša Radmanović]] as president of the Executive Committee. Vinko Đuragić's New Workers' Party also joined the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.<ref name="istorija stranke" /> In August 2002, the New Labour Party of Republika Srpska merged into the SNSD.


=== The founding of the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the first period of activity ===
In the elections held on 5 October 2002, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won the largest number of parliamentary seats since its creation, receiving 19 seats in the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska, 3 deputies in the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 1 deputy in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats received 7 seats in the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska and 3 seats in the Council of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moderate political parties were offered a partnership to form a new government, but the [[Party of Democratic Progress]] decided to remain in the pact with the nationalist parties, so the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats accepted the role of the strongest opposition party, not only in the Republic of Srpska, but throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="istorija stranke" />
Immediately after the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1996, the Independent Parliamentary Club started forming a political party. The founding Congress of the Party of Independent Social Democrats, at which party bodies were elected, was held on 10 March 1996. Milorad Dodik was elected as the first president of the party, and Nenad Baštinac as the general secretary. By the time of the first general elections in 1996, the party had formed ten municipal committees in the Republic of Srpska. In these elections, which will be marked by the complete media control of the ruling Serb Democratic Party in the Republic of Srpska in the years to come, the Party of Independent Social Democrats becomes a parliamentary party in both the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska and the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>


By the time of the next local elections in 1997, about twenty municipal committees had been formed, and it ran independently in 24 municipalities of the Republic of Srpska, mainly in Krajina and Posavina. Despite the aforementioned circumstances, which hindered the party's free work, the Party of Independent Social Democrats wins in Laktaši and Srbac, where it succeeds in forming a coalition government with non-nationalist parties from the Republic of Srpska, and in a dozen other municipalities it has its representatives in the local assembly.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
In this period, the party launched a campaign to collect signatures, with the goal of abolishing conscription into the army and demilitarization of the country.<ref name="istorija stranke" />


In the 2004 elections, with around 125,000 votes, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats became the strongest party in Republika Srpska and the second in terms of votes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 17 mayor positions were won, 15 of which were in Republika Srpska, and 2 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The number of council seats, compared to the previous local elections four years earlier was much higher, and they were won in all candidate municipalities in Republika Srpska, and in 9 municipalities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the establishment of municipal assemblies, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats has 22 municipal presidents, and a larger number of deputy mayors and vice presidents of municipal assemblies.<ref name="istorija stranke" />
In 1997, there was a split in the Serb Democratic Party, in which [[Biljana Plavšić]], the president of the Republic of Srpska, left that party and strongly suspected her of criminality. Biljana Plavšić in her efforts to "open" the Republic of Srpska and free it from the influence of the "Leadership of the Serb Democratic Party from the city of Pale" has the support of the West, but also of the Party of Independent Social Democrats. The President of the Republic of Srpska dissolves the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska and calls for extraordinary parliamentary elections, which were held simultaneously with the local elections. The Party of Independent Social Democrats receives twice as much support compared to the previous elections just a year earlier.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>


=== The first government of Milorad Dodik 1998 - 2001. ===
The end of 2004 was marked by the resignation of the republican government headed by Dragan Mikerević. After an unsuccessful two-year mandate, the Government resigns, and the political parties of the Republic of Srpska reach an Agreement on coordinated political action, with the aim of defining the strategic relationship towards the constitutional arrangement and upcoming reforms: police and defense.<ref name="istorija stranke" />
After the formation of the new convocation of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, Biljana Plavšić appointed Milorad Dodik as the mandate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska. The new coalition government, led by Milorad Dodik, was elected on 18 January, 1998 at the session of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska in Bijeljina. The Prime Minister becomes a person from the party which at that time had only 2 deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. The new government appreciated the great support of the international community, but it was met by a "de facto" divided Republic of Srpska, into western and eastern parts (divided police, broken television system...). After many years of isolation, thanks to foreign support, the Republic of Srpska with the new government, for the first time, receives significant donations, loans, makes arrangements and begins the reconstruction of roads, power systems, bridges...<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>


Since 1998, the Party of Independent Social Democrats has been politically active within the coalition "Sloga" with the newly founded Serb People's Alliance of Biljana Plavšić and the [[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]], whose leader at the time was Živko Radišić. In the same year, 1998, another parliamentary election was held. In the elections for the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Party of Independent Social Democrats won 6 parliamentary mandates, and the victory was won by the nationalist coalition "Serb Democratic Party-Serb Radical Party of the Republic of Srpska", whose candidate Nikola Poplašen also won the race for president of the Republic of Srpska.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
=== 2006-present: breakthrough and rule ===
At the beginning of 2006, the previous prime minister of Republic of Srpska, Pero Bukejlović, resigned. Ten days after that, on 26 January 2006, the president of Republic of Srpska, [[Dragan Čavić]], asked Milorad Dodik to form a new government, in which, according to the Constitution, there are 16 ministers: eight Serbs, five Bosniaks and three Croats. The Parliament of Republika Srpska supported the appointment of Dodik as Prime Minister on 28 February 2006.


On 31 December 1998, after accepting the offer of the President of the Republic of Srpska, Nikola Poplašen, to be the president of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, Brano Miljuš, who formed the Party of Independent Social Democrats of the Republic of Srpska, was expelled from the party, a party that was soon extinguished.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats achieved their breakthrough in the 2006 general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [[Nebojša Radmanović]] was elected as the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 7 seats with 269,468 votes ahead of the Party of Democratic Action with 238,474 (9 seats) and the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina with 219,477 votes (8 seats). Milan Jelić became the President of Republika Srpska (271,022 votes, 48.87%). The party won 41 out of 83 parliamentary seats in the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska, and Milorad Dodik, the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, became the representative for the composition of the new Republika Srpska government. In the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 1 place with 12,564 votes (1.46%). The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 3 out of 25 seats in the Assembly of Canton 10 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (3,654 votes, 11.99%).<ref name="tnmv">{{cite web | url=http://www.izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/SkupstineKantone/Nivo.aspx | title=Opšti izbori 2010}}, Kanton 10.</ref>


The year 1999 is defined by the difficult political situation in the region (NATO bombing of the FRY) and the internal political situation, the blockade of the work of the Government by the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the vote of no confidence in the Government and the removal of Nikola Poplašen from the post of President of the Republic of Srpska by the High Representative [[Carlos Westendorp]]. With significant support from international institutions, the Government led by Milorad Dodik still resisted pressure from the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
In the General Elections of 2010, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats repeated their good result from 2006, and at all levels defeated the united opposition in the coalition Zajedno za Srpska (Serb Democratic Party-Party of Democratic Progress-Serb Radical Party of Republic of Srpska).


In December 1999, the Social Liberal Party of Republic of Srpska merged into the Party of Independent Social Democrats. In the same year, negotiations with the Democratic Party of Republic of Srpska on unification were also underway, but the assassination of their leader Ljubiša Savić Mauzer interrupted that.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
The joint candidate of the "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" coalition for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nebojša Radmanović, received 295,629 votes, i.e. 48.92% of the total number of valid votes. The most significant opponent, the candidate of the Zajedno za Srpska coalition, [[Mladen Ivanić]], received 285,951 votes, or 47.31% of valid votes. A large number of invalid ballots, and a small difference between the two most important candidates, resulted in a complaint by Mladen Ivanić and his Party of Democratic Progress about irregularities during the counting of ballots. The Central Election Commission put an end to such doubts by recognizing the election results.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Arslanagic |first1=Sabina |title=Bosnia Ballot Recount Over, No Fraud Found |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2010/10/27/bosnia-ballot-recount-over-no-fraud-found/ |work=Balkan Insight |date=27 October 2010}}</ref>


Milorad Dodik, the candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" for the president of Republika Srpska achieved a convincing victory, receiving the support of 50.52% of voters, i.e. 319,618 valid votes.
=== Formation of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats and opposition activity in 2001 — 2006. ===
In March and April 2000, there was a split in the [[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]], the partner of the Party of Independent Social Democrats in the Sloga Coalition. The leadership of the Socialist Party decides to leave the Coalition and enter into an open pact with the Serb Democratic Party, which is why five deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, many councilors, activists, members and entire committees leave the Socialist Party and form a new party: the '''Democratic Socialist Party''' (DSP). Nebojša Radmanović was elected president of the Democratic Socialist Party. The Democratic Socialist Party decides to remain in a strong relationship with the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the government of Milorad Dodik, and in the elections in November 2000, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party appear together with the candidates for the President of the Republic of Srpska and the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. In just six months, the Democratic Socialist Party developed a network of 43 committees throughout the Republic of Srpska and won 4 seats in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. After the elections, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party act together as the opposition to the new Government of the Republic of Srpska formed by the [[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]], the [[Party of Democratic Progress]] and the Socialist Party.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>


In the general and local elections of 2000, the party positioned itself in the entire Republic of Srpska, at the same time, the Party of Independent Social Democrats in the [[Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina]] participated in local elections in twenty municipalities and won nineteen committee seats. The party's position in that period is that it "does not participate in the government with the wartime ultranationalist, retrograde and isolationist political factor and accepts the opposition role in the People’s Assembly".<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>
In the elections for the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the party won 38% of the valid votes cast (240,727 votes) and received 37 parliamentary mandates, which was enough for the party to preserve the parliamentary majority in the coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party.{{fact|date=October 2022}}

After the local elections in 2000, the Democratic Party for Banjaluka and the Krajina of Nikola Špirić was merged into the Party of Independent Social Democrats.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

In December 2001, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party, a separate part of the Socialist Party, sign the Platform on Association, which begins the process of uniting these two parties at all levels into a new party — the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD).<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

After several months of work in the field and the unification of the lower organizational forms of the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party, on May 1 2002, the founding Unification Congress was held in Banja Luka, at which the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party founded the '''Alliance of Independent Social Democrats''' ('''SNSD'''), as a unique and strong party of social democratic orientation, the strongest opposition party in the Republic of Srpska. The Congress elects Milorad Dodik as president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, and Nebojša Radmanović as president of the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

In May 2002, Vinko Đuragić's New Workers' Party joined the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

After a number of years of cooperation with the Socialist International and an application for admission to the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, it also received official verification of its associate membership in the International, as the first party from Republic of Srpska to do so.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

In the elections held on 5 October 2002, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won the largest number of parliamentary seats since its creation. In the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, it gets 19 deputies, which is 23%, 3 deputies enter the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 1 deputy in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats gets 7 seats in the Council of Peoples of the Republic of Srpska and 3 seats in the Council of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moderate political parties were offered a partnership to form a new government, but the [[Party of Democratic Progress]] decided to remain in the pact with the nationalist parties, so the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats accepted the role of the strongest opposition party, not only in the Republic of Srpska, but throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

In this period, the party is launching a campaign to collect signatures, whose goal is the abolition of conscription and the professionalization of the army, with the ultimate goal of complete demilitarization of the country.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

At the beginning of 2004, Predrag Kovačević, then a member of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, who formed the Democratic Party of Srpska on 5 February 2004, was expelled from the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

The year 2004 was the year of local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were held on 2 May. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats is applying for elections in 83 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which 59 are in the Republic of Srpska, 23 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Brčko District. The campaign for the elections is conducted under the slogan "Good for everyone", public meetings are held in August and September, thousands of activists are engaged in the field to achieve the best possible result.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

With around 125,000 votes, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats is, for the first time, officially the strongest party in the Republic of Srpska, and the second in terms of votes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 17 mayor positions were won, 15 of which were in the Republic of Srpska, and 2 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The number of council seats, compared to the previous local elections in 2000, is many times higher, and they were won in all candidate municipalities in the Republic of Srpska, and in 9 municipalities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the establishment of municipal assemblies, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats has 22 municipal presidents, and a larger number of deputy mayors and vice presidents of municipal assemblies.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

The end of 2004 was marked by the resignation of the republican government headed by Dragan Mikerević. After an unsuccessful two-year mandate, the Government resigns, and the political parties of the Republic of Srpska reach an Agreement on coordinated political action, with the aim of defining the strategic relationship towards the constitutional arrangement and upcoming reforms: police and defense.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

=== General elections of 2006 (takeover of power) ===
At the beginning of 2006, the previous prime minister of Republic of Srpska, Pero Bukejlović, resigned. Ten days after that, on 26 January 2006, the president of Republic of Srpska, [[Dragan Čavić]], asked Milorad Dodik to form a new government, in which, according to the Constitution, there are 16 ministers: eight Serbs, five Bosniaks and three Croats. The Parliament of Republic of Srpska supported the appointment of Dodik as Prime Minister on 28 February 2006.

The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats achieved the best result in the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006:<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

* [[Nebojša Radmanović]] was elected as the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* In the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 7 seats with 269,468 votes ahead of the Party of Democratic Action with 238,474 (9 seats) and the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina with 219,477 votes (8 seats).
* Milan Jelić became the president of the Republic of Srpska (271,022 votes, 48.87%).
* The party won 41 out of 83 parliamentary seats in the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, and Milorad Dodik, the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, became the representative for the composition of the new Republic of Srpska Government.
* In the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 1 place with 12,564 votes (1.46%).
* The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 3 out of 25 seats in the Assembly of Canton 10 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (3,654 votes, 11.99%).<ref name="tnmv">{{cite web | url=http://www.izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/SkupstineKantone/Nivo.aspx | title=Opšti izbori 2010}}, Kanton 10.</ref>

=== General elections of 2010 ===
In the General Elections of 2010, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats repeated the good result from 2006, and at all levels defeated the united opposition in the coalition Zajedno za Srpska (Serb Democratic Party-Party of Democratic Progress-Serb Radical Party of Republic of Srpska).<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>

The joint candidate of the "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" coalition for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, [[Nebojša Radmanović]], received 295,629 votes, i.e. 48.92% of the total number of valid votes. The most significant opponent, the candidate of the Zajedno za Srpska coalition, [[Mladen Ivanić]], received 285,951 votes, or 47.31% of valid votes. A large number of invalid ballots, and a small difference between the two most important candidates, resulted in a complaint by Mladen Ivanić and his Party of Democratic Progress about irregularities during the counting of ballots. The Central Election Commission put an end to such doubts by recognizing the election results.<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>

Milorad Dodik, the candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" for the president of Republic of Srpska achieved a convincing victory, receiving the support of 50.52% of voters, i.e. 319,618 valid votes. The candidate of the Zajedno za Srpska coalition, Ognjen Tadić, received the support of 227,239 voters, i.e. 35.92%.<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>

In the elections for the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the party won 38% of the valid votes cast (240,727 votes) and received 37 parliamentary mandates, which was enough for the party to preserve the parliamentary majority in the coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party.<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>


In the elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the party in the Republic of Srpska won 43.30% of the votes, or 8 representatives.<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>
In the elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the party in the Republic of Srpska won 43.30% of the votes, or 8 representatives.<ref>[http://izbori.ba/Finalni2010/Finalni/PredsjednistvoBiH/Default.aspx Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH]</ref>


=== General elections of 2014 ===
The [[2014 Bosnian general election|2014 general elections]] saw the SNSD enter the race with a coalition of smaller parties; the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party. The SNSD became the main ruling party of Republika Srpska for the third consecutive time, gaining 29 seats in the Assembly with Dodik re-elected.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jukic |first1=Elvira M. |title=Republika Srpska Leader Prepares to Name PM |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2014/11/26/republika-srpska-prepares-govt-composition/ |work=Balkan Insight |date=26 November 2014}}</ref>
After the General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska. He entered the election race for individual positions in a coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party, and the candidate of that coalition for the president of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, won with 303,496 votes or 45.38% of the candidate of the united opposition, Ognjen Tadić, who won 296,021 or 44, 28%<ref name="fgks">[http://www.izbori.ba/Potvrdjeni2014/Finalni/PredsjednikRS/Nivo.aspx Izbori 2014], CIK BiH.</ref> The candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina [[Željka Cvijanović]] with 310,867 votes or 47.63% was defeated by the candidate of the Alliance for Changes Mladen Ivanić who won 317,799 or 48.69%. In the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political entity with 213,665 (32.28%) votes and 29 mandates. In the competition for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats also won the most votes of the political parties from Republic of Srpska, 249,182 (38.48%) and thus won 6 mandates.<ref name="fgks" /> This is also the only party from Republic of Srpska that won mandates in the assembly of a canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely in Canton 10 with 3,503 or 11.8% won. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 3 mandates and became the third strongest political entity in this canton.<ref name="fgks" />

=== General elections of 2018 ===
Even after the General Elections held in 2018, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska, and achieved even better results than in the elections held in 2014. He entered the election race for individual positions in a coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance, the Socialist Party and the United Srpska, and the candidate of that coalition for the President of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, won with 319,699 votes or 47.04% of the Alliance for Victory candidate Vukot Govedaric, who won 284,195 or 41.82%<ref>[http://www.izbori.ba/rezultati_izbora?resId=25&langId=2#/5/0/0 Izbori 2018.], CIK BiH.</ref> The candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Union-Socialist Party-United Srpska" for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, won a record number of votes, i.e. 368,210 votes or 53.88%, while candidate Alliance for Victory Mladen Ivanić won 292,065 or 42.74%. In the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, SNSD remained the strongest political entity with 218,201 (31.87%) votes and 28 mandates. In the competition for the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won by far the most votes of the political parties from Republic of Srpska, 260,930 (39.10%) and thus won 6 mandates.<ref>[http://www.izbori.ba/rezultati_izbora?resId=25&langId=2#/5/0/0 Izbori 2018.], CIK BiH.</ref>

=== General elections of 2022 ===
[[2022 Bosnian general election|The general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2022]] were held on Sunday, October 2, 2022. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats convincingly remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska, and achieved similar results as in the elections held in 2018. For these elections, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats went for individual functions in a coalition ([[Alliance of Independent Social Democrats]]—[[Socialist Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Socialist Party]]—[[Democratic Union (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Democratic Union]]—[[United Srpska]]—[[ National Democratic Movement (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|People’s Democratic Movement]]—People’s Party of Srpska), and the candidate of the coalition for the President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik won with 300,180 votes or 47.06%. The candidate of the united opposition ([[Party of Democratic Progress]]—[[Serb Democratic Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Serb Democratic Party]]), Jelena Trivić, won 273,245 or 42.84%.<ref>[https://www.izbori.ba/Rezultati_izbora/?resId=32&langId=2#/5/0/0 Izbori 2022.], CIK BiH.</ref>

The candidate of the coalition surrounded by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was Željka Cvijanović who won 327,720 votes or 51.65% and defeated the candidate of the united opposition Mirko Šarović who won 224,912 or 35.45%. In the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats achieved an even better result than in the 2018 general elections and thus remained the strongest political entity with 221,554 (34.63%) votes and 29 mandates. In the elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won by far the most votes of the political parties from the Republic of Srpska with 255,515 (41.15%), which won it 6 mandates.<ref>[https://www.izbori.ba/Rezultati_izbora/?resId=32&langId=2#/5/0/0 Izbori 2022.], CIK BiH.</ref>

== Congresses of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats ==
* The Unification Congress was held on 1 May 2002. in [[Banja Luka]];
* The second SNSD Congress was held on 28 June 2003. in Banja Luka;
* The third SNSD Congress was held on 29 September 2007. in Banja Luka;
* The fourth SNSD Congress was held on 8 October 2011. in Zvornik;
* The fifth SNSD Congress was held on 25 April 2015. in East New Sarajevo;
* The sixth SNSD Congress was held on 15 June 2019. in Laktaši.<ref name="Istorija stranke (in Serbian)"/>

== SNSD Banja Luka City Committee ==
In the organizational structure of the party, its organizational unit with the strongest personnel and the most numerous base is the SNSD Banja Luka City Committee. At the end of 2014, the SNSD Banja Luka City Committee had over 17,000 members.<ref name="rhip">{{cite web | url=http://snsdbl.com/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%99%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D1%87%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D1%83-%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC-%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%98/ | title=SNSD Banja Luka }}</ref> Since 2004, in all subsequent local elections in Banja Luka, the SNSD has recorded the result of the strongest political entity in the city and has the function of mayor of Banja Luka. In the 2018 General Elections in BiH, the SNSD in Banja Luka recorded a result of 28,626 votes. Since February 2021, the president of the City Committee of SNSD Banja Luka is the general director of the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska and doctor of medical sciences, Vlado Đajić.


The holders of the highest positions in the City Committee of SNSD [[Banja Luka]] are:
After the [[2018 Bosnian general election|2018 general elections]], for the Serb member of the Presidency, Dodik received a record number of votes, i.e. 368,210 votes or 53.88%, while candidate Alliance for Victory Mladen Ivanić received 292,065 or 42.74%. In the People’s Assembly of Republika Srpska, SNSD remained the strongest political entity with 218,201 (31.87%) votes and 28 seats.


* President: Vlado Đajić
==Ideology==
* Vice-presidents: Željka Cvijanović, Slobodan Gavranović, Stanislav Palija, Srđan Amidžić, Zoran Vujmilović.<ref name="sftj">{{cite news | url=http://www.primer.org/ | title=Tekst veze }}, dodatni tekst.</ref>
Reflecting a trend in Eastern Europe for [[centre-left]] parties, it has been characterized as a [[social-democratic]] party with left-leaning views on fiscal issues,<ref name="PEE">{{cite web|url=http://parties-and-elections.eu/bosnia-herzegovina.html|title=Bosnia-Herzegovina|last=Nordsieck|first=Wolfram|year=2018|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|access-date=11 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news|last1=Nardelli|first1=Alberto|last2=Dzidic|first2=Denis|last3=Jukic|first3=Elvira|date=8 October 2014|title=Bosnia and Herzegovina: the world's most complicated system of government?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/oct/08/bosnia-herzegovina-elections-the-worlds-most-complicated-system-of-government|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> while having more conservative views on social issues.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WUxBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343|title = Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited|isbn = 9781443855709|last1 = Rosas|first1 = João Cardoso|last2 = Ferreira|first2 = Ana Rita|date = 8 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA" /> Since then, the party has gradually abandoned its [[reformist]] ideology and [[confederalism]]<ref name="vecernji.hr">[http://www.vecernji.hr/balkan/za-sve-bi-najbolja-bila-konfederacija-herceg-bosne-republike-srpske-i-bosne-921053 'Za sve bi najbolja bila konfederacija Herceg Bosne, Republike Srpske i Bosne']. Večernji list, 14. veljače 2014. Pristupljeno 26. ožujka 2014.</ref> for [[Euroscepticism]],<ref name="Velebit">{{cite web|url=https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2018/01/26/state-bosnia-herzegovinas-european-integrations/|title=What is the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina's European integration?|first=Vuk|last=Velebit|date=26 January 2018}}</ref> [[Russophilia]],<ref name="rs.n1info.com">{{cite web|url=http://rs.n1info.com/English/NEWS/a478460/Brit-runs-office-for-preventing-Russia-s-influence-in-Bosnia.html |title=Brit runs office for preventing Russia's influence in Bosnia}}</ref><ref name="Sito-Sucic">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bosnia-election-idUSKCN1MI1C3|title=Nationalists win in Bosnia, including Serb who opposes 'impossible state'|first=Maja Zuvela, Daria|last=Sito-Sucic|newspaper=Reuters|date=8 October 2018|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref> and a more aggressive advocacy of [[Serbian nationalism]] and [[separatism]], threatening a [[proposed secession of Republika Srpska]] from the rest of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] numerous times.<ref name="rferl.org"/><ref name="Reuters Staff"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.balkanalysis.com/bosnia/2016/10/04/the-2016-local-elections-in-bosnia-a-win-for-the-major-ethno-nationalist-parties/|title=The 2016 Local Elections in Bosnia: a Win for the Major Ethno-nationalist Parties - Bosnia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://cps.ba/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/POLITICAL-SYSTEM-OF-BiH_FINAL.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215120050/http://cps.ba/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/POLITICAL-SYSTEM-OF-BiH_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=15 December 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This has also led to the party being expelled from the [[Socialist International]] in 2012 for continuing to "espouse a nationalist and extremist" line.<ref name="polsystem">{{cite book |last1=Banović |first1=Damir |last2=Gavrić |first2=Saša |last3=Barreiro Mariño |first3=Mariña |title=The Political System of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Institutions – Actors – Processes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fbr8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85 |date=2020 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-03054-387-7 |pages=85–86}}</ref>


== List of presidents ==
== List of presidents ==
Line 346: Line 424:
|{{nochange}} 1st
|{{nochange}} 1st
|''[[Milorad Dodik]]''
|''[[Milorad Dodik]]''
|''294,754''
|''300.180''
|''47.06%''
|''47.06%''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
Line 383: Line 461:
|-
|-
|[[Milorad Dodik]]
|[[Milorad Dodik]]
|2010–2018<br>2022—
|2010–2018, 2022-
|-
|-
|[[Željka Cvijanović]]
|[[Željka Cvijanović]]
Line 410: Line 488:
== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last1=Stojarová|first1=Vera|last2=Emerson|first2=Peter|title=Party Politics in the Western Balkans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mfMiAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA94|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-23585-7|pages=12–13, 30–31, 40, 47, 88–98, 193}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100310014345/http://www.snsd.org/dnn/ Official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100310014345/http://www.snsd.org/ Official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120113233924/http://www.msd.ba/ Youth of SNSD]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120113233924/http://www.msd.ba/ Youth of SNSD]


Revision as of 10:31, 30 October 2022

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats
Савез независних социјалдемократа
Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata
AbbreviationSNSD (СНСД)
PresidentMilorad Dodik
Vice Presidents
Secretary GeneralLuka Petrović
SpokespersonRadovan Kovačević
Founded10 March 1996; 28 years ago (1996-03-10)
1 May 2002; 22 years ago (2002-05-01)
Preceded byParty of Independent Social Democrats,
Democratic Socialist Party,
Social Liberal Party,
Democratic Party for Banjaluka and Krajina,
New Workers’ Party
HeadquartersKralja Petra II Karađorđevića 15,
Banja Luka,
 Republic of Srpska,
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
NewspaperOdgovor,
Argumenti
Youth wingYoung Social Democrats
Women's wingActive Women Social Democrats
Membership (2019)192,707[1]
IdeologyPopulism[2]
Entity interests[3]
Social democracy[4]
Political positionBig tent[2]
Centre-left[4]
National affiliationAlliance of Independent Social Democrats—Socialist Party—Democratic Union—United Srpska—People’s Democratic Movement—People’s Party of Srpska
International affiliationSocialist International (2008—2012)[5]
Colours   
House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina
6 / 42
House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina
4 / 15
People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska
29 / 83
Party flag
Flag of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats
Website
www.snsd.org

The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (Serbian Cyrillic: Савез независних социјалдемократа, romanized: Savez nezavisnih socijaldemokrata, abbr. СНСД, SNSD) is a political party of the constitutional-legal entity Republic of Srpska, one of the two constitutional-legal entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The president of the party is Milorad Dodik.

Within SNSD, the organization Young Social Democrats operates, as well as Active Women Social Democrats.

Platform

According to the party's Statute, SNSD was founded and exists as a party of freedom, peace and democracy.[6]

In its activities, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats advocates the achievement of the following program goals:[6]

  • the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Srpska and the preservation, respect and consistent application of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which guarantees the constitutional-legal position of the Republic of Srpska,
  • building and strengthening democratic institutions, the state of welfare and social justice through parliamentary democracy and the rule of law,
  • exercising the rights and freedoms of citizens provided for by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, without discrimination on any ground,
  • preservation and improvement of special and parallel ties between the Republic of Srpska and the Republic of Serbia,
  • improvement of relations between the Republic of Srpska and the diaspora,
  • commitment to accession and membership in the European Union with respect for the constitutional competences of the Republic of Srpska and respect for the agreed principles of coordination of the European integration process,
  • building a stable, democratic and prosperous state,
  • development and encouragement of creativity, affirmation of the rights and freedoms of individuals and social groups,
  • development of the market economy and protection of property, a just and solidary society,
  • realization of all forms of civil liberties,
  • reducing social inequality and creating a system of equal opportunities,
  • development of friendly relations between ethnic groups,
  • harmonious and accelerated social development.

History

1990 — 1996

The first multi-party elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina were held on 18 November 1990. As a member of the anti-war, non-nationalist and multi-ethnic Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia, Milorad Dodik became a deputy in the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time, which was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia was, by its essence, the only organized attempt at the democratic transition of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into a modern European and democratic state of all the peoples and republics that constituted it.[7]

After Croats and Muslims passed the Declaration of Independence in the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, overriding the Serb deputies, the majority of Serb deputies, including Milorad Dodik, left the Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 1991 and formed the Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina (later: People's Assembly of Republic of Srpska). On 9 January 1992, this assembly proclaimed the Republic of the Serb people in Bosnia and Herzegovina (later: Republic of Srpska).[7]

In 1993, due to disagreement with the program and working methods of the Serb Democratic Party, Milorad Dodik formed the Club of Independent Deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, thus becoming the first opposition to the then current government, which consisted of the Serb Democratic Party and its president Radovan Karadžić. The club operated throughout the war until the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[7]

The founding of the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the first period of activity

Immediately after the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1996, the Independent Parliamentary Club started forming a political party. The founding Congress of the Party of Independent Social Democrats, at which party bodies were elected, was held on 10 March 1996. Milorad Dodik was elected as the first president of the party, and Nenad Baštinac as the general secretary. By the time of the first general elections in 1996, the party had formed ten municipal committees in the Republic of Srpska. In these elections, which will be marked by the complete media control of the ruling Serb Democratic Party in the Republic of Srpska in the years to come, the Party of Independent Social Democrats becomes a parliamentary party in both the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska and the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[7]

By the time of the next local elections in 1997, about twenty municipal committees had been formed, and it ran independently in 24 municipalities of the Republic of Srpska, mainly in Krajina and Posavina. Despite the aforementioned circumstances, which hindered the party's free work, the Party of Independent Social Democrats wins in Laktaši and Srbac, where it succeeds in forming a coalition government with non-nationalist parties from the Republic of Srpska, and in a dozen other municipalities it has its representatives in the local assembly.[7]

In 1997, there was a split in the Serb Democratic Party, in which Biljana Plavšić, the president of the Republic of Srpska, left that party and strongly suspected her of criminality. Biljana Plavšić in her efforts to "open" the Republic of Srpska and free it from the influence of the "Leadership of the Serb Democratic Party from the city of Pale" has the support of the West, but also of the Party of Independent Social Democrats. The President of the Republic of Srpska dissolves the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska and calls for extraordinary parliamentary elections, which were held simultaneously with the local elections. The Party of Independent Social Democrats receives twice as much support compared to the previous elections just a year earlier.[7]

The first government of Milorad Dodik 1998 - 2001.

After the formation of the new convocation of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, Biljana Plavšić appointed Milorad Dodik as the mandate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska. The new coalition government, led by Milorad Dodik, was elected on 18 January, 1998 at the session of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska in Bijeljina. The Prime Minister becomes a person from the party which at that time had only 2 deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. The new government appreciated the great support of the international community, but it was met by a "de facto" divided Republic of Srpska, into western and eastern parts (divided police, broken television system...). After many years of isolation, thanks to foreign support, the Republic of Srpska with the new government, for the first time, receives significant donations, loans, makes arrangements and begins the reconstruction of roads, power systems, bridges...[7]

Since 1998, the Party of Independent Social Democrats has been politically active within the coalition "Sloga" with the newly founded Serb People's Alliance of Biljana Plavšić and the Socialist Party, whose leader at the time was Živko Radišić. In the same year, 1998, another parliamentary election was held. In the elections for the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Party of Independent Social Democrats won 6 parliamentary mandates, and the victory was won by the nationalist coalition "Serb Democratic Party-Serb Radical Party of the Republic of Srpska", whose candidate Nikola Poplašen also won the race for president of the Republic of Srpska.[7]

On 31 December 1998, after accepting the offer of the President of the Republic of Srpska, Nikola Poplašen, to be the president of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, Brano Miljuš, who formed the Party of Independent Social Democrats of the Republic of Srpska, was expelled from the party, a party that was soon extinguished.[7]

The year 1999 is defined by the difficult political situation in the region (NATO bombing of the FRY) and the internal political situation, the blockade of the work of the Government by the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the vote of no confidence in the Government and the removal of Nikola Poplašen from the post of President of the Republic of Srpska by the High Representative Carlos Westendorp. With significant support from international institutions, the Government led by Milorad Dodik still resisted pressure from the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska.[7]

In December 1999, the Social Liberal Party of Republic of Srpska merged into the Party of Independent Social Democrats. In the same year, negotiations with the Democratic Party of Republic of Srpska on unification were also underway, but the assassination of their leader Ljubiša Savić Mauzer interrupted that.[7]

Formation of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats and opposition activity in 2001 — 2006.

In March and April 2000, there was a split in the Socialist Party, the partner of the Party of Independent Social Democrats in the Sloga Coalition. The leadership of the Socialist Party decides to leave the Coalition and enter into an open pact with the Serb Democratic Party, which is why five deputies in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, many councilors, activists, members and entire committees leave the Socialist Party and form a new party: the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP). Nebojša Radmanović was elected president of the Democratic Socialist Party. The Democratic Socialist Party decides to remain in a strong relationship with the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the government of Milorad Dodik, and in the elections in November 2000, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party appear together with the candidates for the President of the Republic of Srpska and the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. In just six months, the Democratic Socialist Party developed a network of 43 committees throughout the Republic of Srpska and won 4 seats in the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska. After the elections, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party act together as the opposition to the new Government of the Republic of Srpska formed by the Serb Democratic Party, the Party of Democratic Progress and the Socialist Party.[7]

In the general and local elections of 2000, the party positioned itself in the entire Republic of Srpska, at the same time, the Party of Independent Social Democrats in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in local elections in twenty municipalities and won nineteen committee seats. The party's position in that period is that it "does not participate in the government with the wartime ultranationalist, retrograde and isolationist political factor and accepts the opposition role in the People’s Assembly".[7]

After the local elections in 2000, the Democratic Party for Banjaluka and the Krajina of Nikola Špirić was merged into the Party of Independent Social Democrats.[7]

In December 2001, the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party, a separate part of the Socialist Party, sign the Platform on Association, which begins the process of uniting these two parties at all levels into a new party — the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD).[7]

After several months of work in the field and the unification of the lower organizational forms of the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party, on May 1 2002, the founding Unification Congress was held in Banja Luka, at which the Party of Independent Social Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party founded the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), as a unique and strong party of social democratic orientation, the strongest opposition party in the Republic of Srpska. The Congress elects Milorad Dodik as president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, and Nebojša Radmanović as president of the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.[7]

In May 2002, Vinko Đuragić's New Workers' Party joined the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.[7]

After a number of years of cooperation with the Socialist International and an application for admission to the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, it also received official verification of its associate membership in the International, as the first party from Republic of Srpska to do so.[7]

In the elections held on 5 October 2002, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won the largest number of parliamentary seats since its creation. In the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, it gets 19 deputies, which is 23%, 3 deputies enter the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 1 deputy in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats gets 7 seats in the Council of Peoples of the Republic of Srpska and 3 seats in the Council of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moderate political parties were offered a partnership to form a new government, but the Party of Democratic Progress decided to remain in the pact with the nationalist parties, so the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats accepted the role of the strongest opposition party, not only in the Republic of Srpska, but throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.[7]

In this period, the party is launching a campaign to collect signatures, whose goal is the abolition of conscription and the professionalization of the army, with the ultimate goal of complete demilitarization of the country.[7]

At the beginning of 2004, Predrag Kovačević, then a member of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, who formed the Democratic Party of Srpska on 5 February 2004, was expelled from the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.[7]

The year 2004 was the year of local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were held on 2 May. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats is applying for elections in 83 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which 59 are in the Republic of Srpska, 23 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Brčko District. The campaign for the elections is conducted under the slogan "Good for everyone", public meetings are held in August and September, thousands of activists are engaged in the field to achieve the best possible result.[7]

With around 125,000 votes, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats is, for the first time, officially the strongest party in the Republic of Srpska, and the second in terms of votes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 17 mayor positions were won, 15 of which were in the Republic of Srpska, and 2 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The number of council seats, compared to the previous local elections in 2000, is many times higher, and they were won in all candidate municipalities in the Republic of Srpska, and in 9 municipalities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the establishment of municipal assemblies, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats has 22 municipal presidents, and a larger number of deputy mayors and vice presidents of municipal assemblies.[7]

The end of 2004 was marked by the resignation of the republican government headed by Dragan Mikerević. After an unsuccessful two-year mandate, the Government resigns, and the political parties of the Republic of Srpska reach an Agreement on coordinated political action, with the aim of defining the strategic relationship towards the constitutional arrangement and upcoming reforms: police and defense.[7]

General elections of 2006 (takeover of power)

At the beginning of 2006, the previous prime minister of Republic of Srpska, Pero Bukejlović, resigned. Ten days after that, on 26 January 2006, the president of Republic of Srpska, Dragan Čavić, asked Milorad Dodik to form a new government, in which, according to the Constitution, there are 16 ministers: eight Serbs, five Bosniaks and three Croats. The Parliament of Republic of Srpska supported the appointment of Dodik as Prime Minister on 28 February 2006.

The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats achieved the best result in the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006:[7]

  • Nebojša Radmanović was elected as the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • In the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 7 seats with 269,468 votes ahead of the Party of Democratic Action with 238,474 (9 seats) and the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina with 219,477 votes (8 seats).
  • Milan Jelić became the president of the Republic of Srpska (271,022 votes, 48.87%).
  • The party won 41 out of 83 parliamentary seats in the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, and Milorad Dodik, the president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, became the representative for the composition of the new Republic of Srpska Government.
  • In the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 1 place with 12,564 votes (1.46%).
  • The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 3 out of 25 seats in the Assembly of Canton 10 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (3,654 votes, 11.99%).[8]

General elections of 2010

In the General Elections of 2010, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats repeated the good result from 2006, and at all levels defeated the united opposition in the coalition Zajedno za Srpska (Serb Democratic Party-Party of Democratic Progress-Serb Radical Party of Republic of Srpska).[9]

The joint candidate of the "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" coalition for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nebojša Radmanović, received 295,629 votes, i.e. 48.92% of the total number of valid votes. The most significant opponent, the candidate of the Zajedno za Srpska coalition, Mladen Ivanić, received 285,951 votes, or 47.31% of valid votes. A large number of invalid ballots, and a small difference between the two most important candidates, resulted in a complaint by Mladen Ivanić and his Party of Democratic Progress about irregularities during the counting of ballots. The Central Election Commission put an end to such doubts by recognizing the election results.[10]

Milorad Dodik, the candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" for the president of Republic of Srpska achieved a convincing victory, receiving the support of 50.52% of voters, i.e. 319,618 valid votes. The candidate of the Zajedno za Srpska coalition, Ognjen Tadić, received the support of 227,239 voters, i.e. 35.92%.[11]

In the elections for the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the party won 38% of the valid votes cast (240,727 votes) and received 37 parliamentary mandates, which was enough for the party to preserve the parliamentary majority in the coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party.[12]

In the elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the party in the Republic of Srpska won 43.30% of the votes, or 8 representatives.[13]

General elections of 2014

After the General Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska. He entered the election race for individual positions in a coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance and the Socialist Party, and the candidate of that coalition for the president of the Republic of Srpska, Milorad Dodik, won with 303,496 votes or 45.38% of the candidate of the united opposition, Ognjen Tadić, who won 296,021 or 44, 28%[14] The candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Alliance-Socialist Party" for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović with 310,867 votes or 47.63% was defeated by the candidate of the Alliance for Changes Mladen Ivanić who won 317,799 or 48.69%. In the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political entity with 213,665 (32.28%) votes and 29 mandates. In the competition for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats also won the most votes of the political parties from Republic of Srpska, 249,182 (38.48%) and thus won 6 mandates.[14] This is also the only party from Republic of Srpska that won mandates in the assembly of a canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely in Canton 10 with 3,503 or 11.8% won. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won 3 mandates and became the third strongest political entity in this canton.[14]

General elections of 2018

Even after the General Elections held in 2018, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska, and achieved even better results than in the elections held in 2014. He entered the election race for individual positions in a coalition with the Democratic People's Alliance, the Socialist Party and the United Srpska, and the candidate of that coalition for the President of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, won with 319,699 votes or 47.04% of the Alliance for Victory candidate Vukot Govedaric, who won 284,195 or 41.82%[15] The candidate of the coalition "Alliance of Independent Social Democrats-Democratic People's Union-Socialist Party-United Srpska" for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, won a record number of votes, i.e. 368,210 votes or 53.88%, while candidate Alliance for Victory Mladen Ivanić won 292,065 or 42.74%. In the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska, SNSD remained the strongest political entity with 218,201 (31.87%) votes and 28 mandates. In the competition for the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won by far the most votes of the political parties from Republic of Srpska, 260,930 (39.10%) and thus won 6 mandates.[16]

General elections of 2022

The general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2022 were held on Sunday, October 2, 2022. The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats convincingly remained the strongest political party in the Republic of Srpska, and achieved similar results as in the elections held in 2018. For these elections, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats went for individual functions in a coalition (Alliance of Independent Social Democrats—Socialist Party—Democratic Union—United Srpska—People’s Democratic Movement—People’s Party of Srpska), and the candidate of the coalition for the President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik won with 300,180 votes or 47.06%. The candidate of the united opposition (Party of Democratic Progress—Serb Democratic Party), Jelena Trivić, won 273,245 or 42.84%.[17]

The candidate of the coalition surrounded by the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats for the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was Željka Cvijanović who won 327,720 votes or 51.65% and defeated the candidate of the united opposition Mirko Šarović who won 224,912 or 35.45%. In the People’s Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats achieved an even better result than in the 2018 general elections and thus remained the strongest political entity with 221,554 (34.63%) votes and 29 mandates. In the elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats won by far the most votes of the political parties from the Republic of Srpska with 255,515 (41.15%), which won it 6 mandates.[18]

Congresses of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats

  • The Unification Congress was held on 1 May 2002. in Banja Luka;
  • The second SNSD Congress was held on 28 June 2003. in Banja Luka;
  • The third SNSD Congress was held on 29 September 2007. in Banja Luka;
  • The fourth SNSD Congress was held on 8 October 2011. in Zvornik;
  • The fifth SNSD Congress was held on 25 April 2015. in East New Sarajevo;
  • The sixth SNSD Congress was held on 15 June 2019. in Laktaši.[7]

SNSD Banja Luka City Committee

In the organizational structure of the party, its organizational unit with the strongest personnel and the most numerous base is the SNSD Banja Luka City Committee. At the end of 2014, the SNSD Banja Luka City Committee had over 17,000 members.[19] Since 2004, in all subsequent local elections in Banja Luka, the SNSD has recorded the result of the strongest political entity in the city and has the function of mayor of Banja Luka. In the 2018 General Elections in BiH, the SNSD in Banja Luka recorded a result of 28,626 votes. Since February 2021, the president of the City Committee of SNSD Banja Luka is the general director of the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska and doctor of medical sciences, Vlado Đajić.

The holders of the highest positions in the City Committee of SNSD Banja Luka are:

  • President: Vlado Đajić
  • Vice-presidents: Željka Cvijanović, Slobodan Gavranović, Stanislav Palija, Srđan Amidžić, Zoran Vujmilović.[20]

List of presidents

# Name
(Born–Died) 		Portrait Term of Office
1 Milorad Dodik
(b. 1959)		 10 March 1996 present

Electoral results

People’s Assembly elections

Parliament of Republika Srpska
Year Popular vote % of popular vote # of seats Seat change Coalition Government
1996 125,372 11.05%
2 / 83
 Increase 2 NSSM opposition
1997 Unknown 2.41%
2 / 83
 Steady — government
1998 53,802 7.30%
6 / 83
 Increase 4 — government
2000 81,467 13%
11 / 83
 Increase 5 — opposition
2002 111,226 21.79%
19 / 83
 Increase 8 — opposition
2006 244,251 44.95%
41 / 83
 Increase 22 — government
2010 240,727 38%
37 / 83
 Decrease 4 — government
2014 213,665 32.28%
29 / 83
 Decrease 8 — government
2018 218,203 31.87%
28 / 83
 Decrease 1 — government
2022 221,554 34.63 %
29 / 83
 Increase 1 — government

Presidential elections

Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Election year # Candidate Votes % Elected?
1998 Steady 1st Živko Radišić 359,937 51.3% Yes
2002 Decrease 2nd Nebojša Radmanović 101,119 19.9% No
2006 Increase 1st Nebojša Radmanović 287,675 53.3% Yes
2010 Steady 1st Nebojša Radmanović 295,629 48.9% Yes
2014 Decrease 2nd Željka Cvijanović 310,658 47.5% No
2018 Increase 1st Milorad Dodik 368,210 53.9% Yes
2022 Steady 1st Željka Cvijanović 327,720 51.65% Yes
President of Republika Srpska
Election year # Candidate Votes % Elected?
2000 Steady 2nd Milorad Dodik 161,942 25.7% No
2002 Steady 2nd Milan Jelić 112,612 22.1% No
2006 Increase 1st Milan Jelić 271,022 48.87% Yes
2007 Steady 1st Rajko Kuzmanović 169,863 41.33% Yes
2010 Steady 1st Milorad Dodik 319,618 50.52% Yes
2014 Steady 1st Milorad Dodik 303,496 45.39% Yes
2018 Steady 1st Željka Cvijanović 319,187 46.97% Yes
2022 Steady 1st Milorad Dodik 300.180 47.06% Yes

Positions held

Major positions held by Alliance of Independent Social Democrats members:

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Years
Nebojša Radmanović 2006–2014
Milorad Dodik 2018–2022
Željka Cvijanović 2022–
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
of Bosnia and Herzegovina		 Years
Nikola Špirić 2007–2012
Zoran Tegeltija 2019–
President of Republika Srpska Years
Milan Jelić 2006–2007
Rajko Kuzmanović 2007–2010
Milorad Dodik 2010–2018, 2022-
Željka Cvijanović 2018–2022
Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Years
Milorad Dodik 1998–2001
2006–2010
Aleksandar Džombić 2010–2013
Željka Cvijanović 2013–2018
Radovan Višković 2018–
Speaker of the People’s Assembly of Republic of Srpska Years
Igor Radojičić 2006–2014

References

  1. ^ Popadić, Slobodan (5 March 2019). "SNSD slavi 23. rođendan, Dodik: Republika Srpska je epicentar našeg djelovanja". Srpskainfo (in Serbian). Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b Populist Parties in Contemporary Europe, Publisher: Democratic Efficacy and the Varieties of Populism in Europe
  3. ^ a b Left and Right: The Great Dichotomy Revisited
  4. ^ [1] Socialist International
  5. ^ a b Statut 2019. (in Serbian)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Istorija stranke (in Serbian)
  7. ^ "Opšti izbori 2010"., Kanton 10.
  8. ^ Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH
  9. ^ Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH
  10. ^ Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH
  11. ^ Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH
  12. ^ Zvanični rezultati izbora CIK BiH
  13. ^ a b c Izbori 2014, CIK BiH.
  14. ^ Izbori 2018., CIK BiH.
  15. ^ Izbori 2018., CIK BiH.
  16. ^ Izbori 2022., CIK BiH.
  17. ^ Izbori 2022., CIK BiH.
  18. ^ "SNSD Banja Luka".
  19. ^ "Tekst veze"., dodatni tekst.
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