Nationalists gain ground in Bosnia election, raising fears of deeper instability

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (AP) — An election in Bosnia on Sunday saw nationalist parties gain strength and the elevation of a separatist, pro-Russia leader in the Balkan country where ethnic tensions have led to political deadlock and stalled progress in moving closer to the European Union.

Bosnian Serb nationalist politician Milorad Dodik, who is banned from holding office and did not appear on the ballot, in a victory speech on Sunday credited U.S. President Donald Trump's return to power and Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for his Alliance of Independent Social Democrats' decisive win.

Dodik's ally, Zeljka Cvijanovic, took more than 55% of votes to be elected to her second term on Bosnia's tripartite presidency, representing the country's Serb-majority entity of Republika Srpska. Dodik's party's candidate for the entity's own president, Savo Minic, also won decisively.

In Bosnia's other entity, the Bosniak-Croat Federation, Darijana Filipovic of the nationalist Croatian Democratic Union appeared set to take the Croat seat on the presidency. The center-left incumbent Denis Becirovic of the Social Democratic party was ahead in the race for the Bosniak seat.

Kurt Bassuener, an analyst and co-founder of the Democratization Policy Council, a Berlin-based think-tank, said Bosnia's nationalist parties “all gained ground” in the election, which he believes could lead to further instability that has plagued and divided Bosnia since its brutal 1992-95 war.

Around 3.4 million voters on Sunday were eligible to choose the three members of the country’s multi-ethnic tripartite presidency, lawmakers for the national parliament, and heads of institutions for the country’s two entities: the Bosniak-majority Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Republika Srpska, which is dominated by ethnic Serbs.

Bosnia has a complex web of governing institutions that were created by a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in 1995 in an effort to manage the ethnic divisions between Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats that gave rise to the war, which killed over 100,000 people and displaced millions.

That political complexity, and the ethnic tensions which have been inflamed by some of Bosnia's politicians, has blocked Bosnia’s progress toward joining the EU despite the bloc’s efforts to encourage the country’s divided leaders to work together for reform.

Meanwhile, Putin has relied on the pro-Russian Dodik, who has advocated for Republika Srpska to separate and join Serbia, to maintain Moscow's influence in the Western Balkans.

Bassuener, the analyst, said that Sunday’s success of nationalist candidates along ethnic lines creates “more threats of instability,” which is “a real challenge to Europe, because they have been the dominant actor and remain such now, but they have effectively a moribund policy.”

He noted the United States' quest for influence in Bosnia as well, pointing out that in Dodik's victory speech on Sunday, he “said triumphantly … that if it weren’t for Donald Trump, we’d be politically dead.”

Trump's administration lifted sanctions on Dodik and his family members last year that had been imposed by Joe Biden's administration in 2022 over accusations that Dodik had engaged in corruption and threatened to destabilize the region with his separatist efforts.

Bassuener said that the EU using enlargement as its means for exercising influence in Bosnia has “given running room to the nationalists to use fear as a political tool.”

“I wouldn’t take yesterday’s electoral results as a reading of what people necessarily want. I think it’s what they’re afraid of,” he said.

As Bosnia faces economic decline, a youth exodus and stalled progress toward the EU, many voters have expressed a desire for an end to divisive politics and more cooperation among leaders of all ethnicities.

Radomir Erceg, a resident of Republika Srpska's administrative capital Banja Luka, said Bosnia “should not be going back into the past.”

“We should have compromise between each other. I was watching Bosniak leaders last night on TV, and I think they have to start talking with Dodik. There should not be any conditions from their side, but also no conditions from our side toward them,” he said.

Ilma Rakic, a resident of Bosnia's capital Sarajevo, bemoaned the lack of youth engagement in Bosnia's public life. Hundreds of thousands of people under 40 have emigrated in recent years.

“Ï don’t think there is enough of them (young people) in politics. They should activate themselves. What we have today is very weak,” Rakic said.

Spike reported from Budapest, Hungary.

Leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, speaks during a news conference following the publication of general election results, in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)

Denis Becirovic of Social Democratic Party (SDP) speaks at a news conference where he declared himself the winner of the Bosniak seat of the tripartite Bosnian Presidency in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Zeljka Cvijanovic of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), speaks during a news conference following the publication of general election results, in Banja Luka, Bosnia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)

An elderly man waits, backdropped by posters with voting instructions, to cast his ballot during the general election in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Milorad Dodik, former president of the Serb-majority Republika Srpska shows a ballot paper at a polling station in Laktasi, northwest of Sarajevo, Bosnia, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic)

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin said Monday that his 22nd season in the NHL will be his last, beginning the farewell tour for the longtime Washington Capitals captain who holds the league's career goal-scoring record.

Ovechkin addressed teammates to deliver the news before the team posted a message from him on social media.

“It’s sad, but it is what it is,” Ovechkin said in his locker room address. “It’s hard, but let’s enjoy it and let’s do some special things this year.”

Ovechkin signed a one-year contract this past summer and turned 41 on Sept. 17. All signs pointed to this being the end, and he said he and his family decided as much in recent months.

“I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it's the right decision,” the Russian star said in a statement released before the Capitals' home opener Wednesday night.

Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's goals record in April 2025 and entered this season at 929. The front office acquired Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch in trades and signed fellow forward Boone Jenner and defenseman Vincent Desharnais in free agency to add around a young core in the hopes of making another long playoff run and contending for the Stanley Cup.

“We have an unbelievable team this year,” Ovechkin said. “Let’s make the playoffs, let’s have fun and enjoy the moment because times fly.”

Ovechkin has spent his entire career with Washington, winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2005-06, the Hart Trophy as MVP three times and leading the NHL in scoring nine times. He was playoff MVP in 2018 when he led the Caps to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

There's been speculation Ovechkin could receive an unfriendly reception on the road after he appeared in an ad for a party aligned with Vladimir Putin during the offseason. But there wasn't much sign of that during the first two games of the season — at Carolina and at Tampa Bay.

When addressing the fallout from that last month, Ovechkin confirmed he'd be going back to live in Russia when he retired from the NHL.

In Washington's season-opening win over the Hurricanes, Ovechkin had 12 minutes, 46 seconds of ice time, the lowest of his career in a game when he wasn't injured or ejected.

The Capitals missed the playoffs in 2025-26, but Ovechkin played all 82 games and scored 32 goals. He’s reached 30 in every season of his career except 2020-21, when he played only 45 games.

Long before he broke through during the Capitals’ Stanley Cup run, Ovechkin had rejuvenated hockey in Washington, and he’ll retire as one of the city’s most accomplished athletes in any sport. The Capitals drafted him No. 1 overall in 2004, and he and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby became stars almost immediately in 2005 when the league emerged from missing a season because of a lockout.

Ovechkin’s combination of goal-scoring skill, physicality and boundless energy made him an instant hit, and he scored a career-high 65 goals in his third season, which earned him the first of his Hart Trophies.

Washington’s penchant for postseason heartache, which existed long before Ovechkin showed up, followed him for a while as well. The Capitals won the Presidents’ Trophy three times with the league’s best regular-season record, falling short in the playoffs each time before a Washington team that merely won its division finally went all the way in the playoffs.

In four postseason meetings between Crosby and Ovechkin — in 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018 — the winner won the Stanley Cup each time. Washington's home opener Wednesday is against Pittsburgh.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin (74) defends against Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) handles the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) looks to shoot against Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and defenseman Victor Hedman (77) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin watches the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)