Tens of thousands of people rallied in rival demonstrations for and against the government of Bosnia’s autonomous Serb Republic in its capital Banja Luka on Saturday (May 14).

An alliance of opposition parties organised the anti-government rally as part of efforts to bring down the government of nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, who is the President of Republika Srpska, one of Bosnia Herzegovina’s two constitutional entities.

The opposition accuses the Bosnian Serb government of corruption and dictatorship, and blames it for the region’s depressed economy. Tensions run high ahead of local elections in October.

Both camps brought in supporters by bus. Authorities banned them from marching across the city and the protests were kept apart by police barricades to prevent clashes.

Politically explosive

Political tensions in the Serb Republic have risen since elections in 2014, when the ruling party of President Milorad Dodik lost its place in the Bosnian government to the Allianc