Politics of Mongolia

Mongolia

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Mongolia

Constitution President (List) Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj Prime Minister (List) Sükhbaataryn Batbold State Great Khural Speaker Damdiny Demberel Supreme Court Political parties Elections Presidential: 2005, 2009 Parliamentary: 2004, 2008 Aimags (provinces) Sums (districts) Human rights Foreign relations

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Politics of Mongolia takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Political developments

Until 1990, the Mongolian Government was modeled on the Soviet system; only the communist party—the MPRP--officially was permitted to function. After some instability during the first two decades of communist rule in Mongolia, there was no significant popular unrest until December 1989. Collectivization of animal husbandry, introduction of agriculture, and the extension of fixed abodes were all carried out without perceptible popular opposition.

The birth of perestroika in the former Soviet Union and the democracy movement in eastern Europe were mirrored in Mongolia. The dramatic shift toward reform started in early 1990 when the first organized opposition group, the Mongolian Democratic Union, appeared. In the face of extended street protests in subzero weather and popular demands for faster reform, the politburo of the MPRP resigned in March 1990. In May, the constitution was amended, deleting reference to the MPRP's role as the guiding force in the country, legalizing opposition parties, creating a standing legislative body, and establishing the office of president.

Mongolia's first multi-party elections for a People's Great Khural were held on 29 July 1990. The MPRP won 85% of the seats. The People's Great Khural first met on 3 September and elected a president (MPRP), vice president (SDP—Social Democrats), prime minister (MPRP), and 50 members to the Baga Khural (small Khural). The vice president also was chairman of the Baga Khural. In November 1991, the People's Great Khural began discussion on a new constitution, which entered into force February 12. In addition to establishing Mongolia as an independent, sovereign republic and guaranteeing a number of rights and freedoms, the new constitution restructured the legislative branch of government, creating a unicameral legislature, the State Great Khural (SGKh).

The 1992 constitution provided that the president would be elected by popular vote rather than by the legislature as before. In June 1993, incumbent Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat won the first popular presidential election running as the candidate of the democratic opposition.

Mongolia's Parliament in session

As the supreme government organ, the SGKh is empowered to enact and amend laws, determine domestic and foreign policy, ratify international agreements, and declare a state of emergency. The SGKh meets semiannually. SGKh members elect a chairman and vice chairman who serve 4-year terms. SGKh members are popularly elected by district for 4-year terms.

Until June 27, 2004, the predominant party in Mongolia was the ex-communist party Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP. The main opposition party was the Democratic Party or DP, which controlled a governing coalition from 1996 to 2000.

From 2000 to 2004 MPRP was back in power, but results of the 2004 elections required the establishing of the first ever coalition government in Mongolia between the MPRP and MDC (Motherland Democratic Coalition).

In January 2006, MP Tsogtyn Bataa changed sides from the Motherland Party to the MRPR, giving the latter exactly 50% of the seats. This gave the MPRP the opportunity to withdraw from the coalition, and, with support of several small parties and defectors from the Democratic party, elect Miyeegombyn Enkhbold as the new prime minister. The events triggered strong protests from civic groups and their followers. Individuals and organizations raised concerns that the government change might have been unconstitutional, but no specific violations could be shown.

In April 2006, Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj was elected as a Democratic Party chairman by the two step elections of the party.

Violent protests that followed the June 2008 election resulted in damage to MPRP Headquarters

In October 2007, Enkhbold lost his position as MPRP chairman to Sanjaagiin Bayar. The MPRP delegates also voted for having Bayar create a new government.^[1] Enkhbold remained in office^[2] until Bayar was elected on 22 November 2007.^[3]

In Bayar's government, Enkhbold was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister on December 5, 2007.^[4]

The MPRP won a clear majority (46 of 76 seats) in legislative elections on June 29, 2008. The Democrats (DP) won 27 seats with the three remaining seats going to minor parties and an independent. After intermediate results were published on July 30, DP chairman Elbegdorj declared that the elections were rigged and that his party would not accept the results. Protests against the election results turned violent on the evening of July 1, and protesters sacked the MPRP headquarters in downtown Ulaanbaatar. Five protesters^[5] were killed, and around midnight a four-day state of emergency was declared.

Executive branch

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President	Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj	DP	18 June 2009
Prime Minister	Sükhbaataryn Batbold	MPRP	29 October 2009

The presidential candidates are nominated by parties in the State Great Khural and from these candidates the president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term. The president is the head of state, commander in chief of the armed forces, and head of the national security council. He is popularly elected by a national majority for a 4-year term and limited to two terms. The constitution empowers the president to propose a prime minister, call for the government's dissolution, initiate legislation, veto all or parts of legislation (the State Great Khural can override the veto with a two-thirds majority), and issue decrees, which become effective with the prime minister's signature. In the absence, incapacity, or resignation of the president, the SGKh chairman exercises presidential power until inauguration of a newly elected president.

The government, headed by the prime minister, has a 4-year term. The prime minister is nominated by the president and confirmed by the SGKh. The prime minister chooses a cabinet, subject to State Great Khural approval. The Cabinet consists of thirteen ministries.^[6] Dissolution of the government occurs upon the prime minister's resignation, simultaneous resignation of half the cabinet, or after a State Great Khural vote for dissolution.

The MPRP and a coalition of opposition parties currently rule in a national unity coalition after they both got the same number of seats in 2004. In July 2005 the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) announced a unilateral end to the Grand Coalition Government, and that it was assuming the full power of government. After a series of negotiations, the MPRP elected to allow the government of Prime Minister Ts. Elbegdorj to remain in power until August 2006, when Deputy Prime Minister Ulaan is schedule to take the Prime Ministership for the remaining two years of the term.

Ministries

• Foreign Affairs
• Finance
• Justice and Internal Affairs
• Environment
• Defense
• Education, Culture, and Science
• Construction and Urban Development
• Fuel Energy
• Roads, Transport, and Tourism
• Social Welfare and Labor
• Industry and Commerce
• Food and Agriculture
• Health^[7]

Legislative branch

The State Great Assembly (Ulsyn Ikh Khural) has 76 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies.

Political parties and elections

Ger set up by the Democratic Party for an election campaign in Khövsgöl, 2006

For other political parties see List of political parties in Mongolia. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Mongolia.

e • d Summary of the 20 May 2005 Mongolian presidential election results

Candidates – Nominating party	Votes	%
Nambaryn Enkhbayar – Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party	495,730	54.2%
Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan – Democratic Party	184,743	20.2%
Bazarsad Jargalsaikhan – Republican Party	129,147	14.1%
Badarch Erdenebat – Motherland Party	105,171	11.5%
Total (turnout 74.9%)	914,791	100.00%
Source: Adam Carr

e • d Summary of the 27 June and 17 July 2004 Mongolian State Great Khural election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (Mongol Ardyn Khuv'sgalt Nam)	517,443	48.23	37
Motherland Democratic Coalition (Ekh Oron-Ardchilsan) Democratic Party (Ardchilsan Nam) Motherland Party (Ekh Oron Nam) Civic Will Party (Irgenii Zorig Nam )	474,977	44.27	35
Independents	36,543	3.41	3
Republican Party (Bügd Nairamdakh Nam)	14,819	1.38	1
Others	28.814	2.69	—
Total (turnout 82.2 %)	1,072,596	100.00	76
Source: IPU

e • d Summary of the 29 June 2008 Mongolian State Great Khural election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party1 (Mongol Ardyn Khuv'sgalt Nam)	914,037	52.67%	45
Democratic Party (Ardchilsan Nam)	701,641	40.43%	27
Civic Will Party (Irgenii Zorig Nam )	34,319	1.97%	1
Civic Coalition (Irgenii Evsel)	24,806	1.42%	1
Independents	60,320	3.47%	1
Total (turnout 74.31%)	1,735,123	100%	76
Source: IPU[8]

¹Later changed to Mongolian People's Party.

Legal system

The new constitution empowered a General Council of Courts (GCC) to select all judges and protect their rights. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body. Justices are nominated by the GCC and confirmed by the SGKh and president. The court is constitutionally empowered to examine all lower court decisions—excluding specialized court rulings—upon appeal and provide official interpretations on all laws except the constitution.

Specialized civil, criminal, and administrative courts exist at all levels and are not subject to Supreme Court supervision. Local authorities—district and city governors—ensure that these courts abide by presidential decrees and SGKh decisions. At the apex of the judicial system is the Constitutional Court of Mongolia, which consists of nine members, including a chairman, appointed for 6-year terms, whose jurisdiction extends solely over the interpretation of the constitution.

Administrative divisions

Mongolia is divided in 21 Aimags (provinces) and 1 municipality (hot); Arkhangai, Bayan-Ölgii, Bayankhongor, Bulgan, Darkhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Govi-Altai, Govisümber, Khentii, Khovd, Khövsgöl, Ömnögovi, Orkhon, Övörkhangai, Selenge, Sükhbaatar, Töv, Uvs, Zavkhan.

Local khurals are elected by the 21 aimags plus the capital, Ulaanbaatar. On the next lower administrative level, they are elected by provincial subdivisions and urban subdistricts in Ulaanbaatar

See also

• Foreign relations of Mongolia
• Flag of Mongolia

References

1. ^ "Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei/ 22. bis 28. Oktober 2007". mongoleionline.de. 2007-10-28. http://www.mongolei.de/news/2007okt4.htm. Retrieved October 30, 2007. 
2. ^ "Mongolian parliament accepts PM's resignation", Xinhua (china.org.cn), November 8, 2007.
3. ^ "Mongolia rushes to appoint new prime minister as a budget deadline looms", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), November 22, 2007.
4. ^ "Mongolian Parliament approves new coalition government", IST, AFP (Times of India), December 6, 2007.
5. ^ "Fatal clashes in Mongolia capital". London: BBC World News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7860539.stm. Retrieved July 2, 2008. 
6. ^ Montsame News Agency. Mongolia. 2006, Montsame News Agency Foreign Service Office, ISBN 9992906278, p. 43
7. ^ Montsame News Agency. Mongolia. 2006, Montsame News Agency Foreign Service Office, ISBN 9992906278, p. 44
8. ^ Results of the Mongolian legislative election, 2008

External links

• (English) (Russian) Official Website of the Government Organizations of Mongolia
• Erik Herron's Guide to Politics in East Central Europe and Eurasia