SDA President Bakir Izetbegović, as a guest on Hayat television, once again confirmed that he plans to run for the Presidency of B&H.

-I would be happy for Mr. Radončić to enter the race again, races with him are always interesting, he has his temperament and his way, so it would be interesting and fun to enter a race with him and Nikšić, possibly with Zvizdić, if he gets support, it will not be boring that's for sure - Izetbegović announced succinctly and conciliatory.

Divide, then rule

Of course, there is no doubt that his optimistic words and compliments are just a bluff that has completely different goals beneath the surface. And the goal is to invite as many opponents as possible for the Bosniak member of the Presidency in the 2022 elections.

It is significant that in the same interview, Izetbegović recalled 2010, when, allegedly as an outsider, he managed to beat Silajdžić and Radončić in the race for the Presidency. It was in 2010 that the multitude of rivals in the elections enabled him to "win as an outsider", with officially only 20,000 votes more than Radončić, but with numerous irregularities and an enormous number of annulled votes.

The same thing happened again in 2014, when he had about forty thousand more votes than Radončić, followed by Emir Suljagić, Bakir Hadžiomerović, Sefer Halilović, Mustafa Cerić and many others.

It is clear why Izetbegović and the Party of Democratic Action like as many opponents as possible and the more fragmented opposition. Thirty years of SDA rule also meant controlling those who count the votes, and votes are always easier to steal when you have a multitude on the ballots, not just two or three options.

Thirty years of power also meant 30 years of resource control. Resource control therefore meant controlling the lives and jobs of a good portion of the electorate, all of which ultimately meant controlling votes.

Defeat in Sarajevo

Instructed by the experiences of the previous elections, the part of the opposition gathered around „the troika“ decided to run in the local elections at the micro level of the Sarajevo Canton with joint candidates for mayors. As a result, they „swept“ the SDA from the capital.

It is clear to Izetbegović that the number of dissatisfied with the catastrophic results of the policy of him and his party in society far exceeds the number of SDA supporters. A joint opposition candidate would certainly mean Izetbegović's convincing defeat in the elections. Therefore, it is clear that in the coming months, the SDA will make great efforts to break up the opposition with various intrigues, pressures and tempting offers, and to bring a disorganized orchestra against itself in the 2022 elections.

The biggest challenge for the opposition by 2022 will be to go to the polls in one piece and with joint candidates. Anything else would mean victory for the SDA even before the election.

Late and insincere outreach

Significantly, after months of frantic attacks and accusations by the SDA machinery against political rivals, Izetbegović suddenly decided to use a conciliatory tone towards opposition leaders and even called on opposition parties to work together to resolve the Election Law to meet international verdicts.

Izetbegović's apparent extension of the hand to the opposition a little over a year before the elections, in the midst of strong scandals and catastrophic policies, aims to create the impression that the SDA is not the cause of the problem that needs to be removed, but a legitimate partner in the fight for a common goal. However, this lowering of the tone and the attempt to soften the opposition and break it up more easily is too naive and too transparent even for Izetbegović.