Latest news with #LuvsannamsrainOyun-Erdene
Muscat Daily
2 days ago
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Mongolian PM resigns after losing confidence vote
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned on Tuesday after failing to secure enough support in a confidence vote, a parliamentary statement said. It comes after weeks of public protests against allegations of corruption. Oyun-Erdene received just 44 votes in the 126-seat parliament, well below the 64 needed to remain in office. Following the declaration of the results, Oyun-Erdene said: 'It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs.' He will remain a caretaker role until a successor is appointed within 30 days. Political crisis brews Prior to the vote, Oyun-Erdene has warned that the confidence motion could cause instability and posed a threat to democracy in the country. 'If governance becomes unstable, the economic situation deteriorates, and political parties cannot come to consensus. It could lead the public to lose faith in parliamentary rule and potentially put our democratic parliamentary system at risk of collapse,' he said. Formerly communist Mongolia adopted democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union. Last month, Oyun-Erdene's Mongolian People's Party (MPP) expelled the Democratic Party (DP) from the ruling coalition after some of its younger lawmakers backed calls for the prime minister's resignation. Protests against corruption The prime minister's resignation follows days of youth-led protests in capital Ulaanbaatar calling for his ouster over inequality, corruption, and rising living costs, with citizens demanding reform and accountability. Reports of lavish spending by Oyun-Erdene's son fuelled the protesters. The protesters have said the country's mineral riches have benefited businesses and the wealthy, while many Mongolians still live in poverty. In a statement to AFP last month, the prime minister's office said it 'vehemently' denied the allegations, labelling them as a 'smear'. Mongolia's drop in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index since Oyun-Erdene came to power in 2021 also did not help his cause. DW
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Mongolia's PM resigns after son's holiday photos spark widespread protests
Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene has stepped down following public anger over photos showing his son's expensive holiday. The images, which spread widely on social media, showed Oyun-Erdene's son and his fiancée carrying luxury shopping bags, including a black Dior bag. One photo, said to have been posted by the fiancée, was captioned: 'Happy birthday to me.' Another picture appeared to show the couple in a swimming pool. The photos led to an investigation by the country's anti-corruption agency. Many people questioned how the PM's family could afford such a lifestyle. For two weeks, hundreds of mostly young protesters gathered in Ulaanbaatar, calling for Oyun-Erdene's resignation. Oyun-Erdene lost a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday. Of the 88 lawmakers who voted, 44 supported him and 38 voted against. He needed at least 64 votes in the 126-member parliament to stay in office. 'It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs,' Oyun-Erdene said after the vote, as quoted by the BBC. He denied any wrongdoing and said the accusations were part of a political attack. 'Critics are trying to damage my reputation with a smear campaign,' he said. Transparency International, a global anti-corruption watchdog, ranked Mongolia 114th out of 180 countries last year. The BBC noted that the country's corruption situation has worsened since Oyun-Erdene became prime minister. Mongolia, located between Russia and China, has been working to strengthen its democracy since the early 1990s. It has also been building closer relations with Western countries as part of its 'third neighbour' policy, which aims to reduce dependence on its two large neighbours. In a separate case, US prosecutors last year accused former prime minister Sukhbaatar Batbold of using stolen mining funds to buy property in New York. Batbold, who led the government from 2012 to 2015, denied the charges.
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Mongolia PM resigns after son's luxury holiday stirs public fury
ULAANBATAAR — Mongolia's prime minister has resigned after social media photos of his son's lavish lifestyle sparked an anti-corruption investigation and weeks of mass protests. Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, who has denied wrongdoing, lost a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday. The viral photos purport to show Oyun-Erdene's son and the son's girlfriend flaunting a black Dior shoulder bag and several shopping bags while on their engagement holiday. Protesters questioned how Oyun-Erdene's family could afford such luxurious living. Local media reported that the country's anti-corruption body had been looking into their finances. The photo of the Dior bag, reportedly posted by the girlfriend, had the caption: "Happy birthday to me". Another photo purportedly showed the couple kissing in a swimming pool. The images have been shared on social media and published by local Tuesday's confidence vote, 44 of the 88 lawmakers who took part in the secret ballot voted for Oyun-Erdene, while 38 others voted against him. He needed the support of at least 64 of parliament's 126 members."It was an honor to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs," he said after the of protesters, many of them young people, had been taking to the streets for two weeks before the vote, demanding Oyun-Erdene's has rejected allegations of corruption, accusing critics of launching a smear campaign against to Transparency International, Mongolia has seen worsening corruption since Oyun-Erdene came into power. Last year, it was ranked 114th out of 180 countries in terms of government transparency.A former communist state sandwiched between Russia and China, Mongolia has been transitioning to democracy since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early is a persistent problem. Last year, US prosecutors sought to forfeit former Mongolian PM Sukhbaatar Batbold's two New York apartments that he allegedly bought using stolen mining who served from 2012 to 2015, denied recent years, Mongolia has sought to build closer ties with the West, counting the United States and European countries as part of its "third neighbor" foreign policy. — BBC
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First Post
2 days ago
- Business
- First Post
He boasted of helicopter rides, lavish proposal. It cost his father the Mongolian PM's post
Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai has been ousted from his position after he lost a confidence motion in parliament. The vote was triggered owing to protests that erupted over his son, Temuulen's luxury lifestyle — the 23-year-old boasted of helicopter rides, designer handbags and a luxury car on his social media read more Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene speaks at the parliament before a confidence vote, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He lost the confidence vote prompting his ouster from the position. Reuters Why does one lose their job? Most often it's because of ineffectiveness. However, in Mongolia, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrain has been ousted from his position owing to his son — namely his son's lavish spending, which prompted massive protests in the landlocked nation. On Tuesday, Luvsannamsrain was ousted from the position of prime minister after failing to secure enough votes in a parliamentary confidence motion. Speaking after the loss, the Mongolian leader said, 'It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs.' He will remain as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With his ouster, the landlocked nation of just 3.5 million people sandwiched between authoritarian giants China and Russia is at risk of plunging into political turmoil. Let's take a closer look at what has happened so far and what it means for the tiny country. Mongolia's Oyun-Erdene loses confidence motion On Tuesday, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, the Harvard-educated prime minister, received just 44 votes in parliament, well short of the 64 needed. Before the vote, Oyun-Erdene tried his level best to remain in power, issuing a warning that the vote could lead to instability and shake Mongolia's fledgling democracy. 'If governance becomes unstable, the economic situation deteriorates, and political parties cannot come to consensus. It could lead the public to lose faith in parliamentary rule and potentially put our democratic parliamentary system at risk of collapse,' he said. Mongolia's Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene bows after losing his position in a vote in Ulaanbaatar, capital city of Mongolia. AFP He further denied the accusations of corruption levelled against him, blaming 'major, visible and hidden interests' for waging an 'organised campaign' to bring down the government. But it seems that the lawmakers were in no mood to listen to the prime minister and ousted him from power. Now, the coalition government has 30 days to select Oyun-Erdene's successor until which he will remain as caretaker PM. Corruption claims against Oyun-Erdene The end of Oyun-Erdene's regime — he held the post for four years and survived previous calls to step down — is a result of a confidence motion called against him. Since mid-May, the Mongolian public has been demanding for Oyun-Erdene to step down over the extravagant lifestyle of son, Temuulen, which is in stark contrast to the widespread poverty in Mongolia. In fact, for many Mongolians, Temuulen became a symbol of the 'privileged culture' of political elites. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People holding a placard that reads 'It's easy to resign' during a protest calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene over alleged economic mismanagement and corruption involving his family, at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. AFP According to analysts, the protests were triggered by Temuulen's social media posts, which displayed the 23-year-old's rather extravagant proposal to his girlfriend and their 'richie rich lifestyle' of helicopter rides, designer handbags and a luxury car. One photo showed Oyun-Erdene's son and the his girlfriend flaunting a black Dior shoulder bag and several shopping bags while on their engagement holiday. This has led to many in Mongolia asking how the 23-year-old accumulated such wealth — especially because Oyun-Erdene campaigned on being from a rural, not wealthy family. As Amina, one of the protesters was quoted telling CNN, '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.' In fact, over 58,000 people in Mongolia signed a petition calling for the prime minister to step down. They also carried out massive protests in the capital Ulaanbaatar's central Sükhbaatar Square demanding for Oyun-Erdene to step down. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 🇲🇳 VIDEO: Hundreds of young Mongolians turned out in the country's capital calling for the prime minister's resignation on allegations of corruption, a longstanding source of deep public anger in the landlocked democracy. — AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 22, 2025 Many also note that the public's anger against Temuulen was exacerbated by Mongolia's rising cost of living, soaring inflation and choking pollution in the capital. As Amina told CNN, '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 pay cheque to pay cheque anymore — they're living loan to loan, debt to debt.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Demonstrators attend a rally demanding the resignation of Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar. Reuters Mongolia's corruption pandemic Corruption is a huge problem in the country of Mongolia. For years, it has struggled with graft and allegations of corrupt officials lining their pockets with public funds. In fact, according to Transparency International, Mongolia has seen worsening corruption since Oyun-Erdene came into power. Last year, it was ranked 114th out of 180 countries in terms of government transparency. And it seems that the lavish lifestyle of Oyun-Erdene's son became a tipping point for Mongols. '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,' Ariunzaya Khajidmaa, 23, a resident of Ulaanbaatar, told CNN. Enkhbadral Myagmar, director of the National Centre for Comprehensive Development, a civil society watchdog, told Asia Nikkei, 'Public trust in government has been eroding for years. But today parliament has shown it can be a check on power, and however weakened, our democratic institutions do work for the people.' Mongolia's uncertain future But while many hail Oyun-Erdene's ouster, it's not all smooth sailing. Many analysts note that next government has a full plate of challenges amid fears of high inflation and decreasing export revenues. Analysts point out that the political instability will have a negative impact on the economy. Dr Batnasan B, professor at the Business School of the National University of Mongolia and Member of the Economic Development Board, told Associated Press: 'The latest data clearly highlights the potential economic consequences of a collapse in Mongolia's coalition government: a sharp economic downturn, runaway inflation, and a rise in unemployment.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It's left to be seen what the new government does and how far it helps. With inputs from agencies
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Mongolia PM resigns after anti-corruption protests
ULAANBAATAR: Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned on Tuesday following weeks of anti-corruption protests in the country's capital. The landlocked democracy in northern Asia has battled deep-seated corruption for decades, with many arguing that wealthy elites are hoarding the profits of a years-long coal mining boom at the expense of the general population. Frustrations have flared since last month as public suspicions over the supposedly lavish lifestyles of the prime minister's family have fuelled persistent demonstrations in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Oyun-Erdene announced his resignation on Tuesday after losing a confidence vote among lawmakers, according to a parliamentary statement. "It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs," he said after the result of the secret ballot was announced to parliament. He will remain as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days. Dozens of young people gathered on the square outside the parliament building on Tuesday, holding white placards reading "Resignation is easy" – a popular slogan at recent protests. Several voiced pride that they had taken a stand against what they described as deeply embedded corruption and social injustice. "The youth protest has achieved great results. I'm so proud of the future of Mongolia," participant Unur Sukhbaatar, a 37-year-old political economy researcher, told AFP. "The public wants more stable governance with ethical politicians... protesting and unifying our voice for systemic change (shows) that Mongolian democracy is alive," he told AFP. Some counter-protesters – overwhelmingly older than their pro-opposition counterparts – have also turned out to support Oyun-Erdene in recent weeks. Julian Dierkes, a Mongolia expert at Germany's University of Mannheim, said he "(didn't) expect any successor to adopt substantially different policies" from Oyun-Erdene, including on corruption. His ouster "may mean the resurgence of factional politics in his party" after years of comparative stability at the top of Mongolian politics, Dierkes told AFP. Oyun-Erdene has denied the corruption allegations, and in an address to parliament before the vote, blamed "major, visible and hidden interests" for waging an "organised campaign" to bring down the government. He had also warned of political instability and economic chaos if forced out of power. But it was not enough as only 44 lawmakers voted to retain confidence in him, with 38 against. That did not reach the 64-vote threshold required from the 126-seat parliament, prompting Oyun-Erdene to stand down. The move pushed the country's fractious political scene into further uncertainty. Mongolia had been ruled by a three-way coalition government since elections last year resulted in a significantly reduced majority for Oyun-Erdene's Mongolian People's Party (MPP). But the MPP evicted the second-largest member, the Democratic Party (DP), from the coalition last month after some younger DP lawmakers backed calls for Oyun-Erdene's resignation. DP lawmakers walked out of the parliamentary chamber during the confidence ballot. Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva, a political analyst and former adviser on Mongolia's National Security Council, said protesters had effectively helped force a vote on "the legitimacy of the (country's) political system." "The Mongolian Generation Z showed they are willing and able to be a politically engaged, mature and active electorate," he told AFP. "The Mongolian political establishment had no choice but to comply to retain popular support." Sandwiched between regional giants China and Russia, Mongolia was a communist state during the Cold War, but has transformed into a democracy since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since Oyun-Erdene took power in 2021, Mongolia's ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index has dropped. Concerns over the economy and rising living costs have also stoked unrest. The protests against Oyun-Erdene began in May following accusations of lavish spending by his son, whose fiancee was reportedly seen with expensive gifts on social media. "Parliament showed they can put the public interest above party needs," small business owner Erchissaran Ganbold, 28, told AFP at Tuesday's protest. "This demonstration is a strong reminder for politicians to be accountable and transparent in the future."
