N.Uchral Rises to Lead the MPP

The 31st Congress of the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) took place over the past weekend. In recent months internal disputes within the party had nearly left the government without clear leadership, creating a complex political situation. Many citizens therefore expected this congress, which convenes once every four years, to resolve these issues.

A new situation

One of the main reasons for this expectation was that the two candidates who competed for the chairmanship during the September conference had publicly withdrawn one after another. First, Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar announced that he was withdrawing in order to place national interests above personal position. Former Speaker of Parliament D.Amarbayasgalan, who has recently faced several investigations, stressed that he was stepping back as an ethical decision to clear his name. Some analysts interpreted these choices as signs that both sides had found common ground and were putting the party’s interests first.

The congress opened on Saturday with 2,255 delegates from all 21 provinces. The atmosphere was positive and calm from the very beginning, matching the event’s theme “Unity, Solutions, Development”. Former chair L.Oyun-Erdene, interim chair selected by the party conference D.Amarbayasgalan, and Secretary General Ya.Sodbaatar all delivered opening speeches. Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar and newly elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament J.Bat-Erdene also appeared on stage. Their joint presence symbolized the reconciliation of factions that had previously

A new leader

The MPP’s Executive Council then nominated Member of Parliament and First Deputy Prime Minister N.Uchral for party chair. At 39, N.Uchral had long been considered a top choice among many experts. He has served as a minister in the last three cabinets and has won three consecutive parliamentary elections since 2016. His previous leadership of the party’s youth organization also brought him considerable support. Most recently, his leading role in the uranium agreement with Orano contributed to a favorable public assessment.

He was challenged by B.Lhagvajav, known for his connection to “Urbanek” and currently serving as Acting President of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Nominated from the floor, B.Lhagvajav presented his views on party governance, decision making, and long-term strategy.

In the vote, 94.95 percent of participating members supported N.Uchral. He thus became the 31st Chair of the MPP and the 13th chair from the party’s newer generation. B.Lhagvajav received 105 votes.

N.Uchral now faces the difficult task of restoring the party’s reputation, which has sharply declined in the past six months. More importantly, he must lead the party into the 2027 presidential election and the 2028 parliamentary election with the goal of winning. It is worth remembering that the MPP has not lost a parliamentary or local election since 2016.

A new era

In his congress speech, N.Uchral pledged to make party operations more transparent and open, increase participation among grassroots members, and introduce new forms of recognition and encouragement. He announced an “E4” platform built on Efficiency, Ethics, Empowerment, and Equity, which includes several key ideas:

• Candidates will be selected through internal primaries that include policy debates
• A points-based evaluation system will be introduced for party members
• Financial resources will be distributed to local party units
• Regional councils and interest groups will be established
• Enam 3.0 will be implemented to create a fully digital party structure

He also emphasized policies aimed at diversifying the economy, encouraging foreign investment, and promoting technology and innovation.