Mongolia’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene has stepped down after a confidence vote spurred by widespread protests and allegations of corruption.
Mongolia's Prime Minister Resigns Following Wake of Corruption Protests
Mongolia's Prime Minister Resigns Following Wake of Corruption Protests
Oyun-Erdene's resignation comes after intense demonstrations over alleged corruption linked to his family's lifestyle.
Mongolia's Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene has resigned from his position following a lost confidence vote in parliament amid escalating protests surrounding allegations of corruption associated with his family's extravagant lifestyle. The resignation comes after weeks of public outcry, ignited by social media revelations about his son's lavish birthday and engagement celebrations.
Oyun-Erdene, who has been serving since 2021, will continue as a caretaker PM until a new leader is appointed within the next month. In a statement post-vote, he expressed gratitude for having served the nation during challenging times, including phases of pandemics and geopolitical tensions.
The confidence vote highlighted a clear lack of support, with Oyun-Erdene obtaining only 44 votes from the 82 lawmakers who participated—far from the 64 votes needed for approval in Mongolia's 126-seat parliament. The discontent among citizens had been palpable for two weeks leading up to the vote, with an emphasis on the questionable sources of wealth behind the prime minister's family, particularly regarding his son.
Allegations of corruption have been vehemently denied by Oyun-Erdene, who has labelled the protests a smear campaign aimed at undermining him. Anti-government protests intensified in Ulaanbaatar, with demonstrators voicing their frustrations in Sukhbaatar Square and across the city.
According to Transparency International, corruption has worsened during Oyun-Erdene's tenure, and Mongolia was reported last year to be 114th out of 180 nations in government transparency. This ongoing issue is not new; a previous prime minister, Sukhbaatar Batbold, had faced similar allegations when U.S. prosecutors moved to seize his luxury New York properties, claiming they were bought with misappropriated mining funds.
Mongolia, a nation located between Russia and China, is currently navigating a delicate balance as it seeks to enhance relationships with Western nations, indicating a strategy aimed at diversifying its international partnerships as part of its "third neighbour" foreign policy initiative.
