Mongolia's ruling party wins landslide parliamentary election
25 June, 2020
Mongolia's ruling get together won a landslide election victory to retain an overwhelming bulk in parliament - an incentive from voters who accepted of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to near-complete effects on Thursday (Jun 25).
The Mongolian People's Get together of Primary Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa now faces the duty of keeping the economy afloat as businesses struggle under virus containment measures and closed borders.
The MPP could have 63 of 76 seats in the legislature, two less than before but still an enormous majority to rule the landlocked country of three million persons squeezed between Russia and China.
The opposition Democratic Party won 10 seats, according to 99 per cent of votes counted pursuing Wednesday's vote.
An independent and prospects from two fresh third functions won the rest of the seats. The Election Commission will confirm the outcomes later on Thursday.
"Voters did obviously reward the handling of the corona crisis by the Mongolian federal government and put their rely upon the leadership of Primary Minister Khurelsukh," Niels Hegewisch, region director of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a German non-profit foundation, told AFP.
"Certainly, a success of this magnitude has a superb responsibility. Economically, Mongolia is normally facing tough times," he said.
Despite its mineral wealth, the country's economic climate has been fragile and required a US$5.5 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund in 2017.
The pandemic hasn't helped, with cafes, restaurants and pubs ailing as the government imposed early closing times within coronavirus measures. Schools have been closed since January.
Coal exports have fallen because of lower demand and prices, and border closures. These were down by more than half to 6.2 million tons in the first five months of the entire year when compared to same period in 2019.
A number of corruption scandals also have erupted recently and there is growing anxiety about graft in the little democracy, which ended years as a Soviet satellite in 1990.
Despite telephone calls by some for the election to be delayed as a result of pandemic, three-quarters of two million eligible voters cast their ballots.
Voters queued two metres apart to enter, with medical personnel checking temperatures, fainting side disinfectant and masks, and providing single-use plastic gloves to fill out ballot papers.
"I think it's great to organise our election as planned even though there is a pandemic," said Amarzaya Enkhbayar, a 35-year-old voter who runs her own business.
"These elected decision-makers must improve our lifestyle. We have to take action for the expansion of our country," she informed AFP after voting in Ulaanbaatar.
'I WANT CHANGE'
On the subject of 8,000 Mongolians are stranded overseas and protests inside country calling for their return have been split up by authorities about the lands that they break social distancing rules.
There have just been about 200 reported coronavirus cases in Mongolia - virtually all imported from Russia - and no confirmed fatalities.
"I thought the election ought to be delayed," argued another voter, 39-year-old Enkhtsetseg Bandi.
"However, the state is usually spending billions to organise this election, so I must participate never to waste our budget."
The country's two main political parties broke bans on gatherings of more than 30 people by retaining big campaign rallies and ignoring social distancing rules.
There were an archive 606 candidates, including 121 independents. But voters find the ruling party.
Gerelt-Od Erdenebileg, professor of political science at the Mongolian Status University of Education, said the country's majoritarian system favours the big parties.
"If we preserve this technique, the MPP will win forever," he said.
Munkhzaya Ankhbaatar, a 19-year-old car parts salesman, said he had done his homework on the applicants before voting.
"I studied all the get-togethers' agenda," he said. "I love the MPP most, so I voted for this."
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