Main parties in Bosnia elections

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (Reuters) -- The general election in Bosnia and parliamentary elections in both its constituent entities, the Muslim-Croat federation and the Serb Republic are being held on Saturday. Here are short profiles of the main parties in contention.

Elections for the Muslim-Croat Federation.

Party of Democratic Action (SDA) -- The main Muslim party, headed by Alija Izetbegovic, who stepped down in October from his post as chairman of the three-member presidency citing age and poor health. The SDA appeals exclusively to Bosnian Muslims, pledging to protect their cultural and religious identity. A decline in its support was shown up in the April local elections.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) -- The biggest opposition party, headed by computer science professor Zlatko Lagumdzija, appeals to professionals among all three Bosnian ethnic groups, promising to tackle economic issues and fight corruption.

Based on pre-election opinion surveys, analysts say the SDP may be able to counterbalance the three nationalist parties in the Bosnian national government by forming a coalition with other moderate parties. They also expect it to be able to form a similar coalition of moderate parties to govern the Muslim-Croat federation.

Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) -- The HDZ appeals to the fears of Bosnian Croats, the smallest ethnic group in the Balkan country, that they might be outvoted by Muslims in the Croat-Muslim federation and by both Muslims and Serbs at national level.

HDZ head Ante Jelavic, who is also the Croat member of the Bosnian presidency, has initiated a referendum on the status of Croats due to be held on Saturday, despite warnings by Western peace officials that it will be regarded as illegal and non-binding if it attempts to impose constitutional changes.

Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH) -- A mainly Muslim party headed by former prime minister Haris Silajdzic. The SBiH's central policy is a call for the abolition of the entity borders in Bosnia and an insistence on a single multi-ethnic Bosnia.

New Croat Initiative (NHI) -- Founded by former HDZ leader and Bosnian presidency member Kresimir Zubak after he lost a party presidency battle with Jelavic in 1998, the NHI portrays itself as a moderate, pro-Bosnian alternative for Croats. Analysts expect it to join forces in a coalition with the SDP and other moderate parties in the Muslim-Croat federation.

Serb Republic

Serb Democratic Party (SDS)-- Founded by Bosnian Serb wartime leader and indicted war criminal Radovan Karadzic in 1990. Party leaders say he no longer influences the SDS, which controls eastern, hardline areas of the Serb republic.

Now headed by medical doctor Dragan Kalinic, the SDS won most municipalities in the Serb republic in local elections in April and is expected to remain the strongest single party.

Having been in opposition for two years, it has backed away from hardline nationalist rhetoric calling for secession and union with Yugoslavia, and has based its election campaign on criticism of the current Bosnian Serb government of Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, calling for more jobs and anti-corruption measures.

Party of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) -- A relatively small party led by Dodik, who ousted the SDS in 1998. The SNSD is expected to contest second place in the Serb Republic with the Party of Democratic Progress.

Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) -- Formed last year by economics professor Mladen Ivanic, whose reputation is on the rise following a good showing in the April local poll. According to opinion polls, the PDP will have as much voter support as the SNSD, and together they are likely to rival the strength of the SDS.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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