Parliamentary election in Mongolia: ruling party declares itself the winner
According to the preliminary results, the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) is expected to have between 68 to 70 seats, said Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene after the mechanical counting of 100 percent of the votes. The votes are also still being manually counted to ensure the accuracy of the results. An official result is expected for Saturday.
According to a report from the online portal Ikon, the election victory fell to the ruling party: The report indicates that the MPP won 68 seats. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, received 42 seats according to the report. The small anti-corruption party HUN is said to have eight seats.
Approximately 3.4 million inhabitants of the sparsely populated, central Asian country between Russia and China were called upon on Friday to determine the composition of the Great Khural, the 126-seat parliament in the capital Ulan Bator. The voter turnout, according to the electoral commission, was 69.3 percent.
As an AFP journalist observed, long queues had formed at a polling station in a school in the center of Ulan Bator. Many voters wore traditional clothing.
Numerous different parties contested the election. Along the streets of the capital, where around half of the Mongolian population lives, numerous colorful election posters hung.
Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene cast his vote at a kindergarten in Ulan Bator, as reported by an AFP reporter. He said he hoped that "a new chapter of trust and cooperation between the state and the citizens" would be opened with the election.
The sustained popularity of the MPP, according to observers, is largely due to the coal mining boom in Mongolia over the past decade. This allowed many Mongolians to significantly improve their standard of living. In addition, the MPP - the successor party of the communist regime that ruled with an iron fist until the early 1990s - remains popular among the older rural population and has a large party apparatus. The opposition is weak and divided.
According to reports from non-governmental organizations such as Transparency International, corruption in the country has significantly worsened in recent years, as evidenced by Mongolia's falling position in the international press freedom ranking of Reporters Without Borders. Some observers fear that the MPP could further erode democratic freedoms in the country during another term in office.
The sparsely populated Mongolia is rich in natural resources, including coal, copper, and iron ore. 86 percent of its exports go to China. Unlike its neighbors, the country is democratically governed. The government in Ulan Bator maintains good relations with both Beijing and Moscow. Mongolia is one of the countries that have not explicitly condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
- Despite concerns about corruption, as reported by Transparency International and Reporters Without Borders, the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) is projected to win a majority of seats in the Parliamentary election, potentially securing up to 70 seats.
- The election winner, the MPP, has maintained its popularity largely due to the coal mining boom in Mongolia over the past decade, allowing many citizens to improve their standard of living.
- The Parliamentary election in Mongolia, which saw a high voter turnout of 69.3%, was closely watched by neighboring countries, including China and Russia, both of which have significant economic ties with Mongolia.
- In Ulan Bator, the capital city, where half of Mongolia's population resides, election posters adorned the streets, reflecting the diverse range of parties that contested the election.
- Despite Mongolia's strategic placement between Russia and China, it has managed to maintain democratic governance, demonstrating its ability to balance relationships with both countries, including not publicly condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine.
