Latest news with #Ulaanbaatar
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Designer handbags and diamond rings bring down Mongolian PM
Mongolia's prime minister has resigned in ignominy after photos of his son's lavish lifestyle were plastered across social media, sparking weeks of protests. Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai lost a vote of no confidence after a corruption investigation into his family's sources of wealth was launched. Mr Luvsannamsrai's 23-year-old son Temuulen showered his fiancee with gifts, including Chanel and Dior handbags worth thousands of pounds, and a diamond ring. For weeks, frustration towards the prime minister mounted as Mongolians struggled to understand how the son of a civil servant who earns less than £20,000 a year could afford such gifts. In an ostentatious show of wealth, pictures on social media appeared to showed Temuulen's fiancee with a MiuMiu blazer worth nearly £4,000, bags of goods from Canada Goose, a luxury winter wear clothing store, and her behind the wheel of a £40,000 Volvo. The fiance, named as Uguumur, has since deleted all the posts on her Instagram account. Temuulen was also reportedly enrolled in a language programme at Harvard University, which costs around ￡6,000. He has reportedly been recalled since the protests. '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,' Amina, a 28-year-old member of the Ogtsroh Amarhan (Resigning is Easy) protest group, told CNN. Mongolia is a landlocked country with a population of only 3.5 million, nestled between China and Russia. The minimum wage is around £160 a month, and there is a cost of living crisis. For years, the country's economy has been hugely dependent on Russia for energy and China for commerce. The current government coalition, elected last July and led by Luvsannamsrai, had tried to establish greater relations with the West, but little came of it. Against this backdrop, it was not surprising that Uguumur's posts quickly went viral and began sparking questions around corruption, which both father and son deny. In a statement, the prime minister's office called the allegations of financial impropriety 'completely unfounded'. Mongolia currently ranks 114 out of 180 on the Corruptions Perceptions Index, with a very low score of 33 per cent, and for decades the country has dealt with corrupt officials and wealthy business leaders enriching themselves with public funds. With Mr Luvsannamsrai and his family, many Mongolians thought history was repeating itself. More than 58,000 people signed a petition calling for him to step down and hundreds took to the streets in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, shouting slogans that reflected a lack of trust in the government. Mr Luvsannamsrai claimed only that he was 'dedicating too much time to major projects while paying insufficient attention to social and internal political matters'. Analysts have said there is no evidence of corruption by Mr Luvsannamsrai, and he and his son have submitted themselves to Mongolia's anti-corruption agency – but the protests were enough for the prime minister to call a vote of no confidence on Monday. He received only 44 of the 64 votes he needed to maintain his position, and resigned shortly afterwards. While Mongolia has been a parliamentary democracy since 1991, over the years many governments have been toppled, leading to calls for constitutional changes that would enable more stability. Shortly before the vote on Monday, Mr Luvsannamsrai echoed some of these concerns, noting that his country's democracy was still fragile. '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.
Independent Singapore
12 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Luxury handbags spark political meltdown in Mongolia
INTERNATIONAL: Mongolia has plunged into a new political crisis as Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai formally stepped down after a no-confidence vote and weeks of dissent led by fuming Mongolians, particularly the young generation. According to the latest CNN report, the turbulence was prompted by viral social media posts displaying the profligate lifestyle of the Prime Minister's 23-year-old son, which includes helicopter rides, expensive and fashionable bags, and an intricate engagement party featuring an extravagant car and a diamond ring. Many probed how such affluence was attained, primarily since Oyun-Erdene's is known to have originated from a modest countryside upbringing, according to his narrative. '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,' said Amina, a demonstrator belonging to the group Ogtsroh Amarhan (Resigning is Easy). Corruption, cost of living, and public disillusionment Citizens' fury is not restricted to viral pictures. Activists in central Ulaanbaatar's Sükhbaatar Square have spoken about more pressing concerns, specifically economic difficulties, widespread fraud and exploitation, and a political class viewed as 'out of touch.' Price increases, intensified by Russia's confrontation in Ukraine, have escalated the cost of living, with many Mongolians struggling to survive on a 'loan to loan, debt to debt' existence, said Amina. Transparency fears have deepened after years of sluggish progress in corruption cases, such as the 2022 outrage over coal exports to China. Although no direct proof implicates Oyun-Erdene in the crimes, his son's posts served as a lightning rod, triggering extreme resentment among the people. 'I want a fair society where government officials are held accountable,' said Ariunzaya Khajidmaa, a fledgling mom who joined the demonstrations with her newborn. Reform agenda meets resistance from the elite Oyun-Erdene stepping down is a major setback to his alliance's forceful reform program, which comprised a Sovereign Wealth Fund intended to reallocate revenues from Mongolia's mineral assets, such as coal and copper, to the public. The fund allows the government to claim a 34% stake in mines deemed to be of strategic national importance. Although the régime asserted that these reforms were meant to assist ordinary Mongolians through housing, healthcare, and education, they were confronted with intense hostility and resistance from the deeply rooted economically privileged. 'These people are now at the edge of losing their power—huge money, which created huge inequality in the country,' said newscaster and political expert Jargalsaikhan Dambadarjaa. 'So, they are fighting to the death against this government.' A crossroads for Mongolia's democracy Ever since it was converted into a democracy in 1991, Mongolia has struggled with political instability, and the latest predicament has rekindled discussions over the usefulness of its parliamentary structure. Some now contend for extended presidential terms, alluding to the assumed stability of adjacent authoritarian governments in China and Russia. President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, who has openly expressed his dedication to parliamentary democracy, is facing increasing pressure amid rising demands to amend term limits. 'It's a very crucial, delicate time, and it's another test to our democracy,' said Jargalsaikhan. International spectators view Mongolia as a distinct democratic bastion between surrounding authoritarian regions. Still, political analysts warn that only genuine accountability and robust governance can attract foreign investment and safeguard its democratic identity. 'It's time for the government to listen to its citizens and take meaningful, lasting action—not just offer words,' said protester Ariunzaya. 'We want stronger anti-corruption measures and a system where no one is above the law.'
Arab News
13 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
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 fueled 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 honor 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 'organized 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.'
Bloomberg
15 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Mongolia's Main Party to Form New Government After PM Ousted
By Updated on Save Mongolia's main political party will form a new government after lawmakers rejected a confidence vote, ousting Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai and exacerbating uncertainty for the nation's economy as it struggles with China's weakening demand for raw materials. Oyun-Erdene lost the vote early Tuesday in the legislature, getting the support of 44 lawmakers in the live-streamed ballot, short of the 64 he needed. He remains as caretaker leader until the Mongolian People's Party he belongs to picks a new prime minister.
Al Jazeera
16 hours ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Mongolian PM ousted amid corruption protests
Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene has resigned after losing a vote of confidence amid weeks of anticorruption protests. Oyun-Erdene announced his resignation on Tuesday after Parliament failed to back him in a confidence vote the previous day, a parliamentary statement said. Public frustration has been boiling over regarding the lavish lifestyle of the prime minister's family, leading to persistent demonstrations in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. 'It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs,' Oyun-Erdene said after the result of the secret ballot was announced to Parliament. Oyun-Erdene, who spent more than four years in office, had denied the corruption allegations against him. In an address to Parliament before the vote, he blamed 'major, visible and hidden interests' for waging an 'organised campaign' to bring down the government. He had also warned that political instability and economic chaos would follow should he be forced out of power. But his pleas did not convince the Parliament, with only 44 lawmakers backing him and 38 against. The prime minister needed to reach a 64-vote threshold in the 126-seat Parliament. Oyun-Erdene, who took the prime minister's seat in January 2021 and was re-elected in July 2024, will remain in a caretaker capacity. A successor must be named within 30 days. The landlocked democracy in Northern Asia has faced deep-seated corruption for decades, with many arguing that wealthy elites are hoarding the profits of a years-long coal mining boom. On Monday, hundreds of young people converged on the square outside the parliament building, marching with white placards and chanting: 'Resignation is easy.' Several protesters said they had come to voice dismay at what they have described as deeply embedded corruption and social injustice. Since Oyun-Erdene took power, Mongolia's ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index has dropped. Concerns over the economy and rising living costs have also stoked the unrest.
