Mongolia held a parliamentary election on 28 June in which the ruling Mongolian People’s Party secured a slim majority of 68 seats out of 126 seats, while the main opposition Democratic Party secured 42 seats, an increase from previous years where DPP won 11 out of the-then 76 seat body. The election was conducted under a mixed electoral system, following a May 2023 amendment increasing the number of legislators from 76 to 126. Voter turnout stood at 69.8 per cent, down from 73.6 per cent in the 2020 election. A record 32 (25 per cent) female lawmakers were elected to the National Assembly, up from 13 (17.1 per cent) in 2020. Election observers noted that the election was well-organized, fair, and largely peaceful. However, competitiveness was adversely affected by an uneven playing field that favoured the ruling party in the run up to the election.

Sources: General Election Committee of Mongolia, OSCE, International IDEA, Deutsche Welle, Asia News Network

A record 32 (25 per cent) women secured seats in the National Assembly in Mongolia’s parliamentary election held on 28 June, up from 13 (17.1 per cent) in 2020. The increase follows a new quota established in May 2023 mandating that 30 per cent of candidates must be women. In addition, the parliamentary election provided the first opportunity in the country’s history for Mongolians living abroad to exercise its voting rights. 

Sources: International IDEA, Asia News Network, IOM Mongolia, Akipress

In line with Mongolia's recent constitutional reform to overhaul its electoral system, parliament has moved to amend the Law on Elections to set a minimum quota for women among party candidates to 30 per cent (previously 20 per cent), with the stated aim of increasing it to 40 per cent in the 2028 election. The changes will be enacted from 1 January 2024, and are considered part of Mongolia's ongoing reforms to address long-standing gender-parity issues in political decision-making processes.

Sources: Montsame, The Diplomat, Vip76

The Mongolian Parliament on 31 May passed a constitutional reform to enlarge parliament from 76 to 126 members. Rather than a strictly first-past-the-post system, the reform introduces a mixed electoral system that will come into effect from 1 January 2024, wherein 78 members will be elected under the old system and the remaining 48 members by proportional representation via a political party list. The parliament sought out citizens' opinions in drafting the new amendments. The change aims to address the disproportionate representation of constituencies by "strengthening the legislature, increasing transparency, and bringing parliamentarians closer to the people they serve."  However, some experts argue that more focus should be placed on strengthening political parties and increasing female representation - the latter of which the government will soon introduce in a separate proposal.

Sources: Montsame, The Diplomat, The UB Post, Parliament of Mongolia

News that unnamed state officials had embezzled $12.8 billion in state coal revenue triggered mass protests in Ulaanbaatar on 4 December. The protests, which included a 5 December attempt to storm the Government Palace, reflect years of growing inequality and elite impunity during the country’s decade-long mining boom. The government has responded by declassifying documents relating to state-owned coal companies’ operations, but has so far resisted protester demands to release the names of the implicated officials.

Sources: The Economist, Reuters, The Diplomat