Mongolia PM resigns after anti-corruption protests
The landlocked democracy in northern Asia has battled deep-seated corruption for decades, with many arguing that wealthy elites are hoarding the profits of a years-long coal mining boom at the expense of the general population.
Frustrations have flared since last month as public suspicions over the supposedly lavish lifestyles of the prime minister's family have fueled persistent demonstrations in the capital Ulaanbaatar.
Oyun-Erdene announced his resignation on Tuesday after losing a confidence vote among lawmakers, according to a parliamentary statement.
'It was an honor to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs,' he said after the result of the secret ballot was announced to parliament.
He will remain as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days.
Dozens of young people gathered on the square outside the parliament building on Tuesday, holding white placards reading 'Resignation is easy' — a popular slogan at recent protests.
Several voiced pride that they had taken a stand against what they described as deeply embedded corruption and social injustice.
'The youth protest has achieved great results. I'm so proud of the future of Mongolia,' participant Unur Sukhbaatar, a 37-year-old political economy researcher, told AFP.
'The public wants more stable governance with ethical politicians... protesting and unifying our voice for systemic change (shows) that Mongolian democracy is alive,' he told AFP.
Some counter-protesters — overwhelmingly older than their pro-opposition counterparts — have also turned out to support Oyun-Erdene in recent weeks.
Julian Dierkes, a Mongolia expert at Germany's University of Mannheim, said he '(didn't) expect any successor to adopt substantially different policies' from Oyun-Erdene, including on corruption.
His ouster 'may mean the resurgence of factional politics in his party' after years of comparative stability at the top of Mongolian politics, Dierkes told AFP.
Oyun-Erdene has denied the corruption allegations, and in an address to parliament before the vote, blamed 'major, visible and hidden interests' for waging an 'organized campaign' to bring down the government.
He had also warned of political instability and economic chaos if forced out of power.
But it was not enough as only 44 lawmakers voted to retain confidence in him, with 38 against.
That did not reach the 64-vote threshold required from the 126-seat parliament, prompting Oyun-Erdene to stand down.
The move pushed the country's fractious political scene into further uncertainty.
Mongolia had been ruled by a three-way coalition government since elections last year resulted in a significantly reduced majority for Oyun-Erdene's Mongolian People's Party (MPP).
But the MPP evicted the second-largest member, the Democratic Party (DP), from the coalition last month after some younger DP lawmakers backed calls for Oyun-Erdene's resignation.
DP lawmakers walked out of the parliamentary chamber during the confidence ballot.
Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva, a political analyst and former adviser on Mongolia's National Security Council, said protesters had effectively helped force a vote on 'the legitimacy of the (country's) political system.'
'The Mongolian Generation Z showed they are willing and able to be a politically engaged, mature and active electorate,' he told AFP.
'The Mongolian political establishment had no choice but to comply to retain popular support.'
Sandwiched between regional giants China and Russia, Mongolia was a communist state during the Cold War, but has transformed into a democracy since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Since Oyun-Erdene took power in 2021, Mongolia's ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index has dropped.
Concerns over the economy and rising living costs have also stoked unrest.
The protests against Oyun-Erdene began in May following accusations of lavish spending by his son, whose fiancee was reportedly seen with expensive gifts on social media.
'Parliament showed they can put the public interest above party needs,' small business owner Erchissaran Ganbold, 28, told AFP at Tuesday's protest.
'This demonstration is a strong reminder for politicians to be accountable and transparent in the future.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
South Korea viewing plans to improve ties with North Korea
South Korea is studying various plans to improve relations with North Korea, a spokesperson for South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Monday, in response to a media report that Seoul is considering allowing individual tours to North Korea. Koo Byung-sam, a spokesperson for the ministry that handles inter-Korea affairs, refused to comment on a 'particular issue.' But, Koo said he understood individual tours were not in violation of international sanctions. Tourism is one of a narrow range of cash sources for North Korea that are not targeted under United Nations sanctions over its nuclear and weapons programs. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to improve strained relations with Pyongyang that have reached their worst level in years. In a bid to ease tensions, Lee suspended anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts along the border and ordered a halt to leaflet campaigns criticising the North's leaders by anti-Pyongyang activists. The president has said he will discuss further plans with top security officials to resume dialogue with North Korea that is technically at war with the South. North Korea recently opened a beach resort in the city of Wonsan, a flagship project driven by leader Kim Jong Un to promote tourism. But, the tourist area is temporarily not accepting foreign visitors, according to a July 16 note by DPR Korea Tour, a website operated by North Korea's National Tourism Administration. North Korea first needs to open the area to the outside world, the Unification Ministry spokesperson said, asked if South Koreans could travel to Wonsan. South Korea once ran tours to North Korea's Mount Kumgang area, but suspended them in 2008, when a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Japan's PM Shigeru Ishiba hangs on after election debacle
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was clinging on Monday even after his coalition disastrously lost its upper house majority, as painful new US tariffs Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito had to win 50 seats in Sunday's election but they fell three short, national broadcaster NHK angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the 'Japanese first' Sanseito, which made strong gains with its 'anti-globalist' drive echoing the agenda of populist parties elsewhere.'I even think (the LDP) should have lost more,' 25-year-old Kazuyo Nanasawa, who voted for a small ultra-conservative party, said, adding that Ishiba should debacle comes only months after Ishiba's coalition was forced into a minority government in the more powerful lower house, in the LDP's worst result in 15 asked late Sunday if he intended to remain in office, Ishiba told local media: 'That's right.''The deadline of (US) tariffs is coming on August 1. Until then we have to do our best with our body and soul,' he Ishiba does go, it was unclear who might step up to replace him now that the government needs opposition support in both chambers to pass supporter Takeshi Nemoto, 80, said that a new leadership contest 'would be a losing battle' for the party, further complicating tariff talks with US President Donald Trump's administration.'Diplomacy is under pressure at the moment,' agreed Shuhei Aono, 67. 'Who is going to take care of it? I think (Ishiba) cannot easily withdraw.'The election saw 125 seats in the 248-seat upper house coalition needed 50 of those but local media reported they only won 47, with the LDP winning 39 and Komeito eight, giving them 122 was the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), which won 22 contested seats, followed by the Democratic Party For the People (DPP) with right-wing Sanseito party won 14 wants 'stricter rules and limits' on immigration, opposes 'radical' gender policies, and wants a rethink on decarbonization and was forced last week to deny any links to Moscow — which has backed populist parties elsewhere — after a candidate was interviewed by Russian state opposition is fragmented, and chances are slim that the parties can form an alternative government, Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, the coalition would be difficult, with the DPP the most likely partner 'on the condition that (the government) delivers some of the positive fiscal measures, such as tax cuts,' he likely is that Ishiba will continue needing opposition support on a case-by-case basis to pass return the opposition could press for consumption tax to be cut or abolished, something which Ishiba has opposed in view of Japan's colossal national debts of over 200 percent of gross domestic years of stagnant or falling prices, consumers in the world's fourth-largest economy have been squeezed by inflation since Russia's 2022 invasion of particular, the price of rice has doubled, squeezing many household budgets despite government helping is lingering resentment about an LDP funding scandal, and US tariffs of 25 percent due to bite from August 1 if there is no trade deal with the United imports are already subject to a 10 percent tariff, while the auto industry, which accounts for eight percent of jobs, is reeling from a 25 percent Ishiba securing an early meeting with Trump in February, there has been no trade accord. On Monday tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa left on his eighth visit to Washington.'There's no impact from the election result (on the negotiations),' Akazawa told reporters at Tokyo's Haneda airport, saying that Japan's national interest remained the 'top priority.'
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
China starts construction on world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet
HONG KONG: China's Premier Li Qiang announced the start of construction on what will be the world's largest hydropower dam, located on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau and estimated to cost around $170 billion, the official Xinhua news agency said. The project is part of China's push to expand renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. Consisting of five cascade hydropower stations, the dam will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River and could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh. Li described the hydropower project as a 'project of the century' and said special emphasis 'must be placed on ecological conservation to prevent environmental damage,' Xinhua said in its report on Saturday. Authorities have not indicated how many people the Tibet project would displace and how it would affect the local ecosystem, one of the richest and most diverse on the plateau. But according to Chinese officials, hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies. India and Bangladesh have nevertheless raised concerns about the dam. NGOs including the International Campaign for Tibet say the dam will irreversibly harm the Tibetan plateau and that millions of people downstream will face severe livelihood disruptions. The dam is estimated to have a capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and is expected to help meet local energy demand in Tibet and the rest of China. The project will play a major role in meeting China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, stimulate related industries such as engineering, and create jobs in Tibet, Xinhua said in December when the project was first announced. A section of the Yarlung Zangbo falls a dramatic 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) within a short span of 50 km (31 miles), offering huge hydropower potential. The Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra river as it leaves Tibet and flows south into India's Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states and finally into Bangladesh. China has already started hydropower generation on the upper reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo, which flows from the west to the east of Tibet.
