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Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Ustavni sud Bosne i Hercegovine), No. AP- U-4/12, 25 May 2012

Abstract

Amendment of the electoral regulations of federal units and electoral law.

Normative references

Art. 1, par. 2, Constitution 
Art. 2, par. 2, Constitution
Art. 1, par. 1, Electoral Act
Art. 2, par. 5, Electoral Act

Ruling

1. Changes in the electoral discipline of federal entities shall be adopted in compliance with the State Constitution and the State Election Law.

2. In a consociative democracy, such as the one established in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the desire to change at the local level the principle of equal representation of all ethnic groups that make up the country constitutes a violation of the Constitution, which provides for this principle.
(The President of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina complained that a local law restricting the principle of equal ethnic representation was unconstitutional).