Sulejman Tihić served as the fourth Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2002 and 2006. A trained lawyer who navigated the complexities of post-war governance, he led the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) from 2001 until his death in 2014, consistently advocating for compromise during volatile periods of constitutional transition.
Professional and Legal Foundations
Born in 1951 in Bosanski Šamac, Tihić pursued legal studies at the University of Sarajevo, graduating from the Faculty of Law in 1975. His early career involved serving as a judge and prosecutor in his hometown. During the Bosnian War, he was captured by Serb forces in 1992 and held in detention facilities across Bosnia and Serbia, including camps in Bosanski Šamac, Brčko, Bijeljina, and a prison in Sremska Mitrovica.
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Following the war, Tihić became an influential figure within the Party of Democratic Action, serving as a founding member before succeeding Alija Izetbegović as party president in 2001. In the 2002 general election, he secured a seat in the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He chaired the collective presidency twice, first in 2004 and again in 2006. Despite his efforts, he failed to retain his presidency seat in the 2006 election, capturing 27.5 percent of the vote.
Constitutional Negotiations
From 2007 until his death in 2014, Tihić served in the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a central participant in the Prud Process, initiated in 2008 with Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović to address state property, census requirements, and constitutional reform. He later engaged in the 2009 Butmir process, where he emerged as the only party leader to support the proposed reforms, though the initiative ultimately failed to gain broader domestic consensus.
Fast facts
- Born: 1951, Šamac
- Died: 2014, Sarajevo
- Education: Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo
- Party: Party of Democratic Action (SDA)
- Presidency Tenure: 2002–2006
- Religion: Sunni Islam
Questions readers ask
What were the major reform processes Tihić participated in?
He was a key figure in the 2008 Prud Agreement and the 2009 Butmir process, both of which aimed at state-level constitutional and administrative reform.
What happened to Tihić during the Bosnian War?
He was captured by Serb forces in April 1992 and detained in several concentration camps in Bosnia and Serbia, including locations in Bosanski Šamac, Brčko, Bijeljina, and Sremska Mitrovica.
Achievements
- Bosniak Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002–2006)
- Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004–2004)
- Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006–2006)
- Member of the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007–2014)
- Educated at Faculty of Law (University of Sarajevo) and University of Sarajevo
