Purvee Delgernaran, second from left, chairman of Mongolia’s Normal Election Fee, briefs journalists on the outcomes of the parliamentary elections in Ulaanbaatar, June 29, 2024. | Picture credit score: AP
Mongolia’s ruling social gathering emerged from this week’s election with its parliamentary majority considerably diminished on June 29, native media mentioned, after a marketing campaign dominated by fears over corruption and the state of the economic system.
Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene declared victory early on the morning of June 29 in the day past’s elections, through which tens of millions of Mongolians turned out to elect 126 members of the state Higher Khural, the nation’s unicameral parliament.
Native media IconCompiling figures offered by the Normal Election Fee, it reported that the ruling Mongolian Individuals’s Get together (MPP) had gained 68 seats, giving it a majority of 4.
The principle opposition social gathering, the Democratic Get together, gained 42, Icon reported, whereas the anti-corruption social gathering HUN gained eight. The smaller events gained eight seats between them.
The top of the electoral fee mentioned on the night of June 29 that some votes nonetheless wanted to be counted by hand to confirm the machine-checked outcomes.
“There are solely six or seven polling stations left, however the guide rely coincides 100% with that of the machines,” he mentioned at a information convention within the capital, Ulaanbaatar.
“These polling stations will probably be accomplished very quickly,” he mentioned.
The outcomes, the primary beneath a brand new electoral system through which Mongolians vote each by proportional lists and by folks representing giant districts, imply the MPP will govern with a really slim majority.
‘Rebuke’
Within the new parliament, the MPP can have 54% of the seats, in comparison with round 80% in 2020.
“This election result’s undoubtedly a rebuke to the MPP and its complete management,” mentioned Bayarlkhagva Munkhnaran, an analyst and former official with Mongolia’s Nationwide Safety Council. AFP.
Profitable 68 seats “barely saves face and any subsequent authorities will probably be weak however way more democratic,” he mentioned.
“The massive winners are the Mongolians, who turned out decisively on the polls and confirmed their unequivocal assist for the democratic path.”
Analysts anticipated the MPP to keep up the bulk it has loved since 2016 and govern for an additional 4 years.
They are saying the social gathering can attribute a lot of its success to the coal mining increase, which fueled double-digit progress and dramatically improved residing requirements, in addition to a formidable social gathering machine.
Nonetheless, the marketing campaign was dominated by deep public frustration over endemic corruption in addition to the excessive value of residing.
There may be additionally a widespread perception that revenues from the coal mining increase are being hoarded by a rich elite, a view that has sparked frequent protests.
‘Life hasn’t modified’
On the streets of Ulaanbaatar, Myagmariin Dulguun, a 25-year-old tattooed waitress, mentioned: AFP He had participated in these protests and “was not glad in any respect” with the electoral outcome.
“I did not count on the MPP to win, everybody round me was in opposition to it,” he mentioned.
“We’d like political reform. We have to do extra protests.”
One other key drawback was the shortage of alternatives for younger folks, who make up nearly two-thirds of the inhabitants.
Many really feel unrepresented by Mongolian politicians, which has led to the rise of smaller liberal events that focus on city youth instantly.
Oyuntsetseg Khaliun, 19, who’s voting for the primary time, mentioned: AFP had supported the Civil Will-Inexperienced Get together, which gained 4 seats.
“The MPP was in energy once I was a toddler and it is nonetheless right here,” she mentioned. “Life hasn’t modified, take a look at the road.”
He mentioned he typically needed to wait an hour for a bus in winter, when temperatures in Mongolia’s capital can drop to -30 levels Celsius.
“We have to change the folks in energy to finish corruption.”
