The Dayton Peace Agreement: A Temporar Framework for Peace and the Need for Constitutional Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the Dayton Peace Agreement, signed in 1995 in Dayton, Ohio, which brought an end to the three-and-a-half-year war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the agreement undeniably succeeded in halting the armed conflict, it also entrenched deep ethnic divisions and established a complex and often dysfunctional political system that continues to generate crises and political deadlock to this day. Instead of serving as a transitional framework toward a democratic, civic-oriented state, the Dayton structure has become a permanent constitutional setup that undermines the equality of all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background. In conclusion, the author calls for a more decisive role from the international community, as well as a domestic political consensus, to transform the current system into a functional, citizen-based democracy. Only through such reform can Bosnia and Herzegovina ensure lasting peace, political stability, and a viable European future. This topic, although researched multiple times over the years, remains unresolved with full implementation still pending. The goal of this paper is to continuously highlight the existing problems and inadequacies of the Dayton Peace Agreement until genuine reform and timely execution are achieved. Through an analysis of legal and political aspects, the paper emphasizes the urgent need to amend and adapt the agreement to ensure long-term stability and fairness in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Particular attention is given to overcoming outdated ethnic divisions that hinder the creation of a unified civic state. The role of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) is underscored in correcting past interpretations and enforcing reforms that guarantee equality for all citizens.