Marking ten years of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in Autumn 2005, the United States spearheaded efforts - with European backing -- to reform the country's constitution. The amendments, debated for ten long months, sought to strengthen the BiH Council of Ministers and parliament as the international community contemplates its "exit strategy" after its decade-long presence.
The current constitution is a complex Dayton legacy, which grants much power to the two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS).
Much to the dismay of those in favour of amending the constitution, the lower house of the BiH central parliament rejected the proposals on 26 April 2006. Out of 42 members of the House of Representatives, 26 voted in favour, while 16 voted against. The adoption of the amendments required a two-thirds majority of those that were present and voted, which was 28 votes on that day.
