DISPUTES OVER THE ELECTORAL LAW IN B&H. CAN THE INTEREST OF THE PERSON BE AT THE CENTER OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE? Cover Image

PRIJEPORI OKO IZBORNOG ZAKONA U BIH: MOŽE LI INTERES OSOBE BITI U SREDIŠTU JAVNOG DISKURSA?
DISPUTES OVER THE ELECTORAL LAW IN B&H. CAN THE INTEREST OF THE PERSON BE AT THE CENTER OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE?

Author(s): Zdenko Spajić
Contributor(s): Kevin Sullivan (Translator), Pavle Mijović (Translator)
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Government/Political systems, Electoral systems, Politics and religion, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Katolički bogoslovni fakultet
Keywords: the Church's social doctrine; individual; Bosnia and Herzegovina; party-interest; national interest; electoral law; consensus and conflict; parliamentary democracy;

Summary/Abstract: Following the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH on the unconstitutionality of some of the provisions of the electoral law, disputes over a legal solution have peaked in what is an election year. The first part of the article deals with proposals for changing the electoral law, which are polarized between the „civil" and the „national" concept, behind which are party-interests. The second part of the article starts from a political science context and argues that in fragmented societies, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, the duty of responsible politicians is to build consensus on important issues in order to avoid the fragmentation of political society. Similarly, parliamentary democracy in BiH should respect both the civic principle (the lower house) and by the national principle (upper house). The third part of the article argues that the role of religious communities is to influence a change of public discourse, starting from the interest of the individual, who is at the center of social life as a whole. In this mission, the Church serves its social teachings.

  • Issue Year: 1/2018
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 99-116
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Croatian
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