Milorad Dodik's criminal conviction, carrying a (short) prison sentence and a six-year ban on holding public office, has been sustained on appeal. Some politicians and other institutions in Serbia are making a little noise, but he is not getting much support from inside RS or BiH. The reason for his failure is his success: years of propaganda have meant that there is no substantial opposition to his (chauvinistic) ideas, and the informal network that he built to control all access to employment and public benefits can function just fine without him.

Remember that the stronger a leader appears to be, the weaker that leader is in practice.

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