Mongolian lawmakers on Friday confirmed former top diplomat Gombojav Zandanshatar as the country’s new prime minister, after his predecessor resigned following weeks of anti-corruption protests.
Thousands of young people have demonstrated in the capital Ulaanbaatar in recent weeks, venting frustration at wealthy elites and what they see as pervasive corruption and injustice.
They called for then-prime minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene to step down and got their wish when he announced his resignation last week.
Zandanshatar — also from Oyun-Erdene’s ruling Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) — was elected as his replacement in the early hours of Friday morning, with 108 out of 117 present voting in favour.
In a speech to lawmakers following his election, he stressed “the urgent need to stabilise the economy” and “improve the income and livelihood” of citizens, according to a readout from the parliament.
The 52-year-old has been a fixture on Mongolia’s fractious political scene for around two decades and is seen as close to President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.
He previously served as foreign minister and chief of staff to the president, as well as parliamentary speaker when the fledgling northern Asian democracy passed key constitutional reforms in 2019.
Before its recent political crisis, Mongolia had been ruled by a three-way coalition government since elections last year resulted in a significantly reduced majority for Oyun-Erdene’s MPP.
But last month, the MPP evicted its second-largest member, the Democratic Party (DP), from the coalition after some younger DP lawmakers backed calls for Oyun-Erdene’s resignation.
That pushed Oyun-Erdene to call a confidence vote in his own government, which he lost after DP lawmakers walked out of the chamber during the ballot.
Corruption ills
Zandanshatar takes charge as Mongolia faces a combustive political cocktail of widespread corruption, rising living costs and concerns over the economy.
Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva, a political analyst and former adviser on Mongolia’s National Security Council, told AFP his tenure would see a “change of direction”.
“Zandanshatar will have to deprioritise lofty megaprojects, lower the tax burden especially on the poor, address the cost of living crisis and turn around democratic backsliding,” he said.
On the streets of Ulaanbaatar, prior to the vote, 38-year-old sociologist Tumentsetseg Purevdorj said the new leader’s political experience is “a good asset”.
“But what we need is to have a strong and functional government,” she said.
“As a woman, I want him to include skilled woman representatives in the new cabinet.”
But other young Mongolians were sceptical that anything would change under the new prime minister.
“He has had high official status for over two decades,” Bayaraa Surenjav, 37, told AFP.
“But I still can’t name a single good thing he has done in those years,” he said.
Zoljargal Ganzereg, a 25-year-old economist, bemoaned the fact that “he was a politician when I was born and he is still up there”.
“Look at how we live, living pay cheque to pay cheque, barely affording the basic needs,” he said.
“If he can’t do anything about it, I have no choice but to move abroad.”
