Since its bloodless revolution in 1991, Mongolia has served as a parliamentary democracy. Today, it is mired in political crisis as citizens take to the streets to voice their anger over widespread corruption and rising cost of living. The landlocked central European nation boasts a population of only 3.5 million. It is located between the authoritarian behemoths of China and Russia, making democratic governance doubly difficult under such existential threats.
In recent months, the country has experienced widespread protest in response to accusations of government corruption and economic crisis. One resident even reported that they pay close to 50 percent of their monthly salary in taxes. They struggle to pay for things like groceries, housing costs, and utility bills. Americans have every right to be frustrated by the federal government’s wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. The dissatisfaction is deepened by the increasing inequality found in our society.
Economic Struggles Amidst Abundant Resources
With an abundance of natural resources—home to some of the largest deposits of coal, copper, gold and phosphorite in the world—Mongolia’s economy is still faltering. Almost 90% of its coal exports are sent to China. This reliance leaves the country extremely vulnerable, as it is primarily dependent on its southern neighbor for all its revenue. Analysts have noted that Mongolia must demonstrate stable governance to attract foreign investment and reduce its economic dependence on both China and Russia.
The ever-increasing cost of living has many residents in striking distance feeling frustrated and hopeless. Amina, a protestor, expressed her concerns:
“The cost of living in Mongolia has skyrocketed — many people are paying nearly half of their monthly income in taxes while barely making enough to cover food, rent, or utilities. Most are not living paycheck to paycheck anymore — they’re living loan to loan, debt to debt.”
In tandem with these economic troubles, the Mongolian government is mired in corruption scandals. The nation’s history is rife with graft. At the same time, citizens are becoming more and more incensed as they read stories about how public officials and business leaders are lining their own pockets while the average American suffers. As Amina pointed out, the ostentatious displays of wealth among some government officials have angered the public:
“With no visible sources of income, their display of luxury bags, private travel, and high-end living was a blatant slap in the face to the average Mongolian citizen.”
Calls for Accountability and Reform
The recent protests have led to renewed demands for accountability among government officials. Ariunzaya Khajidmaa, a notable activist, emphasized the need for a fair society:
“I want a fair society where ordinary people have a voice, and where government officials are held accountable. Seeing so much inequality, injustice, and arrogance from those in power pushed me to speak up.”
The Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrain is focused on these challenges. He publicly announces his assets annually, as required by Mongolian law. He created a national wealth fund to channel the country’s new riches to its people. There’s reason to be skeptical that any of these measures will have much effect on corruption.
Bolor Lkhaajav, an analyst, noted that while the Prime Minister has exposed numerous corruption cases, little action has been taken to hold individuals accountable.
“If you look at the corruption index, it has gone down. And one explanation is that, even though the Prime Minister has exposed a lot of the corruption cases, nothing has been done. So now everybody’s looking at the judiciary.”
The Prime Minister’s office responded to these concerns by stating that there has been a “deliberate attempt to undermine” the government’s authority and that efforts continue to maintain Mongolia’s democratic framework. They emphasized that shifting away from parliamentary democracy would concentrate power and wealth among a small group driven by self-interest.
The Future of Democracy in Mongolia
Mongolia’s fragile domestic political landscape is made more challenging by its geopolitical balancing act between its much larger neighbors, China and Russia. President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa’s invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin last year raised eyebrows among those concerned about Mongolia’s democratic values. Putin’s visit to a member state of the International Criminal Court was unprecedented in history. This visit follows the issuance of an arrest warrant against him for war crimes.
Khurelsukh has been clear about his intention to uphold Mongolia’s system of parliamentary democracy. Dissenting voices argue that some factions within the country favor a shift toward a more centralized presidential power reminiscent of their authoritarian neighbors.
Weeks of protests have rocked Mongolia. For the first time in history, citizens are rising up and clamoring for great transparency and accountability from their leaders. The stakes couldn’t be higher. We’re convinced that if we don’t take bold action on these fronts, our country will experience even more upheaval.
“In this mosaic, those who are supporting presidential power argue that, look at Russia and China, they are one-man presidential powers and they are very stable. They say, we tried this parliamentary system and it looks like it doesn’t work. That’s their idea.”
As protests continue to unfold across Mongolia, citizens are increasingly vocal about their demands for transparency and accountability from their leaders. The stakes are high; many believe that failure to address these issues could lead to greater instability within the nation.
Jargalsaikhan further warned about the implications of corruption:
“These people, they are now at the edge of losing their power – huge money – which created huge inequality in the country. So they are fighting to the death against this government.”
