The entry into the race for the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina has so far been announced by the current Presidency member Denis Bećirović, who, in addition to his parent SDP, has been supported by 13 political options within the "United for the State of BiH" alliance, some of which are not parliamentary parties.
Bećirović has been supported in the race for the Presidency by: the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, People and Justice, Our Party, the People's European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, FORWARD! Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Initiative – Kasumović Fuad, the Social Democrats of BiH, the Party of Democratic Action of Bosnia and Herzegovina, People's Force, the Party of Pensioners of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the First Mostar Party, the Tuzla Alternative, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party – Sefer Halilović, and the Perspective Political Party.
Earlier, the president of the Party for BiH and the mayor of Novi Grad Sarajevo, Semir Efendić, also announced his candidacy, and Šuhret Fazlić, the former mayor of Bihać, has also joined the race.
In the race for the Croat member of the Presidency of BiH, Slaven Kovačević (Democratic Front) and the previously mentioned Darijana Filipović (HDZ BiH) have entered, and it is expected that the so-called Croat five (HDZ 1990, HDS, HNP, HSS, and HRS) will also have a joint candidate.
The SDA party has not yet announced its candidate, and although several candidates were previously mentioned in public, it seems that the candidate will be the party president Bakir Izetbegović. There are several reasons indicating such a development.
Namely, the SDA has emphasized several times that they will reveal the name of their candidate in May. However, it is evident that the party has not profiled any other candidate through various media appearances, but rather the central role has been played by the party leader Bakir Izetbegović.
In the past six months, Izetbegović has been the one addressing almost all public gatherings, anniversaries, and events.
Another indication that Bakir Izetbegović could be the candidate for the Presidency of BiH is his address at the celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the Women of SDA, where he threw down the gauntlet to Denis Bećirović.
"For the Troika to leave, its member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Bećirović must also leave. He participated in everything we are living through today, but he is trying to distance himself from it. If he stays, this cluster of parties will remain in power. And this situation will remain, and it will deepen, and we will sink further. And that must not happen. We must return, not for the SDA or for the power that will be very difficult in the next term, but for this country and this people," said Izetbegović.
The final decision on who will be the candidate for the Presidency member from the SDA will be known in the next month, but the public appearances of the party president indicate that he could be a candidate for the Presidency of BiH for the fourth time and face Bećirović directly for the second time, but this time also Efendić.