Voting begins in tense Bosnia election

Politicians have largely chosen to appeal to their own ethnic group rather than to Bosnians as a whole

Voting has begun in Bosnia in an election dominated by nationalist rhetoric and a stagnant economy.

It comes nearly 20 years after the end of the devastating Bosnian war in which more than 100,000 people were killed.
Tensions between Bosnia's main ethnic groups - Muslims (Bosniaks), Serbs and Croats - remain high, and some groups have called for secession.
The country is one of the poorest in Europe, with joblessness at 44% and youth unemployment even higher.
Polls will close on Sunday afternoon and the first results are expected later on Sunday evening.
It is the seventh election since the US-brokered Dayton peace agreement ended the 1992-1995 war between the main ethnic groups.

In February, mass violent protests broke out in Bosnia, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with political elites and the high levels of corruption in the country.
Analysts say protests could return if the new government does not tackle corruption and the spluttering economy.
'Referendums and divisions' Bosnia is split into two "entities", the Serb Republic (Republika Srpska) and the Muslim-Croat Federation, which are both under international supervision.
The elections are for the regional parliaments of each entity, as well as for the state of Bosnia as a whole.
Voters will also choose the three members of Bosnia's joint presidency, which will be made up of a Croat, a Muslim and a Serb.

There was a big clean-up after government buildings were attacked in February

Correspondents say the election campaign has been fought along nationalist lines, with each ethnic group calling for a different vision for the country.
Bosnian Serbs have called for the dissolution of the state, the Croats have pushed for secession within Bosnia, and the Bosniak Muslims for unity between the groups.
Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said that his policy would be for the Serb Republic to be "less and less an entity and more a state".
Muslim leader Bakir Izetbegovic criticised both Croat and Serbian leaders for pursuing the politics of "referendums and divisions".
The country is seeking membership of the European Union, but has been hampered by its failure to meet EU targets for reform.
The EU said on Friday said that a new government would be expected to "bring much needed reconciliation in society and politics... and close the gap with the rest of the region and ensure progress towards the EU".