Political Deadlock in Mongolia
The ongoing crisis surrounding the leadership of the ruling party has now reached the State Palace. Over the past week, Mongolia’s political and social life has been dominated by disputes among senior officials, sudden leaks of “documents,” and statements filled with suspicion and accusation.
More than 50 Members of Parliament led by P.Sainzorig signed a petition demanding the dismissal of Prime Minister G.Zandanshatar. The MPs accused the government of granting unfair advantages to certain companies through its temporary decision to calculate mineral royalties based on market prices and of organizing illegal tenders.
Soon after, another group of more than 60 MPs led by D.Enkhtuvshin submitted a petition calling for the removal of Speaker D.Amarbaysgalan. What began as an ethical request for the Speaker to temporarily step down amid investigations into an alleged coal-related case quickly turned into a formal motion for dismissal.
Suddenly, Mongolia found itself in a state of political vacuum, with two of the three highest state officials stepping back from their positions.
In response, the government decided to declassify all previously confidential materials related to the so-called “coal files” and make them publicly accessible. This follows a 2022 decision when 32 government contracts were first made public. This time, the government plans to release the highly scrutinized “Harbin Agreement” and related documents, protocols, and official correspondences that have fueled public speculation.
These issues dominated Friday’s session of the Standing Committee on State Structure, which discussed the motion to remove the Prime Minister. The meeting drew widespread attention as former Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene also attended and shared his position alongside the current Prime Minister and Speaker. However, Monday’s continuation of the session was canceled due to a lack of quorum.
As a result of this deepening political impasse, discussions on the national budget, which was scheduled for approval within the next month, have come to a standstill. With winter approaching, preparations for the cold season are lagging behind while politicians remain preoccupied with power struggles. Outside, teachers and doctors continue their rightful protests demanding higher pay, yet their voices seem to be overshadowed by political conflict.
In short, Mongolia’s state machinery has stalled completely. The coming week in politics is expected to unfold amid the ongoing contest for the positions of Prime Minister and Speaker.
