International failure in Bosnia and Herzegovina: The problem with local ownership

International peacekeepers completed the military mission of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but this paper argues that divisions within the international community undermine the civilian mission of international institutions such as the Office of the High Representative (OHR) while weak political competition among local elites allows nationalist political parties to block reconciliation. Intervention is the only method to improve the political process. Local ownership would be extremely detrimental, but the international community seems either unwilling or unable to sustain pressure on Bosnian institutions. Strong support of the civilian mission is necessary to introduce constitutional reforms that develop an integrative model of power-sharing. Normative pressure has not coerced elites to comply and additional peacekeeping troops are unlikely, therefore international institutions should implement more aggressive financial incentives for Bosnian elites to complete constitutional reform.