ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the phenomenon of populism and on the populist communication that is employed by political parties and media in the country. It classifies populism and populist communication in Bosnia and Herzegovina but also to revive both the public debate and research in this particular field. The specificities of the political system that was created to end the war coupled with the political heritage of Yugoslavia opened the way to ethnicity-dominated politics, which are used to serve the political elites narrow interests, disguised as the interests of ethnic/national groups. The constitutional framework and residual effects of the violent conflict facilitate the perpetuation of incumbent parties by means of producing differentiation, fear, conflict, and endangerment discourse to mobilize voters. Combined with unrealistic promises of economic transformation, mass employment, and the European path, the characteristics of ethno-national party's political messages and narratives aside from some unique features match those of populist parties.
