Micro Power-Sharing System: Case Study of the City of Mostar

This paper explores the City of Mostar as a case of a micro-consociational model of local governance within the deeply divided social and political context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It aims to demonstrate how Mostar’s power-sharing system contributes to broader understandings of consociational democracy, especially in the often-overlooked sphere of local government. Based on a qualitative analysis of institutional frameworks, legislative documents and media reports, the paper argues that the Mostar model demonstrates potential for local ownership and functional governance beyond international paternalism. The paper contributes to the power-sharing literature by explaining how micro-consociational arrangements can reduce ethnic intolerance and enable effective governance.