2013 Mongolian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Mongolia on 26 June 2013. The Democratic Party nominee, incumbent President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was re-elected, defeating both Mongolian People's Party nominee of parliament member Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene and Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party nominee Natsagiin Udval, who was Minister of Health at the time of the election. Elbegdorj was inaugurated on 10 July 2013 for his second term in office.[1]

2013 Mongolian presidential election

← 2009 26 June 2013 2017 →

Majority of the popular vote needed to prevent a run-off
 
Nominee Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene Natsagiin Udval
Party Democratic MPP MPRP
Popular vote 622,794 520,380 80,563
Percentage 50.89% 42.52% 6.58%

Results by province

President before election

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
Democratic

Elected President

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
Democratic

Both Elbegdorj and Bat-Erdene saw backing from the urban population in Ulan Bator, Bat-Erdene having more of a conservative following and the incumbent president supported by the middle class. Elbegdorj won the election with 50.9% of the popular votes, a nearly 9% margin over Bat-Erdene. Udval received 6.6% of the popular vote. Elbegdorj's re-election keeps the Democratic Party in power both in the presidency and the State Great Khural.

Electoral system

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The election was held using the two-round system; if no candidate had received a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round would have been held. The second round was to be scheduled on 10 July 2013 if necessary.[2] Only parties with seats in the State Great Khural were allowed to nominate candidates.[3]

The elections were the first in which Mongolians living abroad were allowed to vote,[4] with an estimated 39,800 Mongolian citizens living outside Mongolia at the time of the election. Other reforms had been made since the 2012 parliamentary elections, including limits on money spent by candidates on campaigning and advertising. As in the 2012 elections, the presidential election used electronic voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems.[5]

Campaign laws

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Changes to campaign laws were made in 2011 which restricted the amount of television and poster advertising a candidate could use. It also increased penalties for violators. The intent was to have the candidates judged on the merit of their platform rather than the budget of their campaign. This change increased the role of social networking such as Facebook and Twitter in candidates campaigns.[5]

Candidates

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Three parties nominated candidates for the presidency.[6]

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj

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Incumbent president Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was renominated by Democratic Party, and was also endorsed by Civil Will-Green Party and Mongolian National Democratic Party, both of which have seats in both the parliament and the government cabinet.[6] Republican Party and Motherland Party expressed their full support for Elbegdorj's candidacy also.[7]

Elbegdorj was Prime Minister of Mongolia for two terms prior to his election as president in 2009. The incumbent president was "heavily backed by the urban middle class" of Ulaanbaatar. Elbegdorj was one of the leaders of the democratic revolution in 1990 that saw the fall of the People's Republic of Mongolia.[8]

Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene

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The opposition Mongolian People's Party nominated parliament member Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene. Bat-Erdene is a former wrestling champion and was the first wrestler to be announced as a presidential candidate in Mongolia.[6] Bat-Erdene had a more conservative backing within Ulan Bator. Mongolian People's Party was the former communist party in power prior to the democratic revolution in 1990.[8]

Natsagiin Udval

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The Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party was initially unsure if it was going to field a candidate in the election, or support another party's candidate. It eventually nominated Natsagiin Udval to run. Udval is the Minister of Health and the Secretary-General of Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. She was also the first woman to run for the presidency.[6] Udval supports former president Nambaryn Enkhbayar who is in prison on corruption charges and who is chairman of Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party.[8]

Results

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Incumbent President Elbegdorj won the election with 50.23% of total votes, with Baterdene Badmaanyambuu and Natsagiin Udval getting 41.97% and 6.5% respectively.[9][10]

Following the announcement Mongolian Prime Minister Norovyn Altankhuyag pledged work with President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj to fight corruption in Mongolia. A political analyst said having the parliament and presidency represented by a single party would be good for foreign investment, as it shows a "politically stable" environment.[8]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Tsakhiagiin ElbegdorjDemocratic Party622,79450.89
Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-ErdeneMongolian People's Party520,38042.52
Natsagiin UdvalMongolian People's Revolutionary Party80,5636.58
Total1,223,737100.00
Valid votes1,223,73798.71
Invalid/blank votes16,0471.29
Total votes1,239,784100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,864,27366.50
Source: GEC, OCSE

By province

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Subdivision
 
T. Elbegdorj
DP
B. Bat-Erdene
MPP
N. Udval
MPRP
Aimags of Mongolia
Arkhangai 15,688 44.13% 14,535 40.88% 4,615 12.98%
Bayan-Ölgii 18,839 53.34% 13,297 37.65% 2,240 6.34%
Bayankhongor 16,134 48.37% 14,725 44.15% 1,986 5.95%
Bulgan 10,023 40.03% 12,075 48.23% 2,577 10.29%
Govi-Altai 9,731 41.57% 11,218 47.92% 2,199 9.39%
Dornogovi 9,842 37.85% 13,880 53.38% 1,866 7.18%
Govisümber 2,664 42.17% 3,111 49.25% 436 6.90%
Dornod 16,098 53.06% 11,798 38.89% 1,886 6.22%
Dundgovi 6,401 36.43% 9,455 53.81% 1,524 8.67%
Zavkhan 15,530 49.24% 14,728 46.69% 960 3.04%
Övörkhangai 21,012 46.12% 20,808 45.67% 2,876 6.31%
Ömnögovi 11,502 45.93% 11,181 44.64% 2,179 8.70%
Sükhbaatar 10,290 39.58% 14,168 54.49% 962 3.70%
Selenge 20,377 47.15% 17,900 41.42% 4,233 9.79%
Töv 14,848 39.39% 19,165 50.84% 2,971 7.88%
Uvs 15,402 46.17% 15,299 45.87% 2,066 6.19%
Khovd 20,144 61.17% 10,562 32.08% 1,765 5.36%
Khövsgöl 27,056 52.28% 20,827 40.24% 3,106 6.00%
Khentii 10,156 33.37% 19,019 62.50% 776 2.55%
Darkhan-Uul 20,474 50.02% 17,248 42.14% 2,785 6.80%
Orkhon 22,084 51.50% 16,274 37.95% 4,092 9.54%
Düüreg of Ulaanbaatar
Khan-Uul 31,870 54.23% 22,883 38.94% 3,413 5.81%
Baganuur 5,685 46.69% 5,880 48.29% 475 3.90%
Bagakhangai 791 45.07% 894 50.94% 53 3.02%
Bayanzürkh 70,763 55.01% 49,777 38.70% 6,822 5.30%
Nalaikh 7,559 50.04% 6,078 40.24% 1,262 8.35%
Sükhbaatar 33,366 54.91% 23,681 38.97% 3,157 5.20%
Chingeltei 38,614 53.73% 28,130 39.14% 4,318 6.10%
Bayangol 49,903 57.08% 32,158 36.78% 4,702 5.38%
Songino Khairkhan 67,209 53.86% 48,343 38.74% 8,079 6.47%
Overseas 2,739 64.57% 1,283 30.25% 182 4.29%
National Total 622,794 50.23% 520,380 41.97% 80,563 6.50%

Reaction

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U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement on presidential election in Mongolia on 27 June 2013, the same day of the result of 2013 Mongolian presidential election was announced.[11] In his statement, President Obama noted: "President Elbegdorj has been an important leader in advancing democracy and freedom in his country and a key partner for the United States in Asia and globally...Through its impressive democratic achievements and its progress on economic liberalization, Mongolia serves as a significant example of positive reform and transformation for peoples around the world."[12]

Vuk Jeremić, President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 67th session expressed a satisfaction with the fair and successful election in his congratulations to Elbegdorj.[13] United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated for successful presidential election in Mongolia in his congratulatory message to Elbegdorj for his re-election as President of Mongolia.[14]

In his congratulatory note to Elbegdorj on his victory, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso highlighted "The European Commission considers that the presidential election has become another vital step of the Mongolian people to establish a democratic society that respects the rule of law and human rights."[15] German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted "The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe sent its group to Mongolia for the first time to observe the Presidential election, and it was an expression of strengthening of democracy and transparency in Mongolia", in her congratulatory message to Elbegdorj for his re-election as President of Mongolia.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "President to be sworn in on 10th in front of Genghis Khan monument". shuud.mn (in Mongolian). 3 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  2. ^ Mongolian presidential election starts Xinhua, 26 June 2013
  3. ^ Mongolia IFES
  4. ^ Election Profile IFES
  5. ^ a b Dari, E. (27 May 2013). "The unique features of the 6th Presidential Election of Mongolia". UB Post. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d Dari, E. "Candidates for the Presidential Election announced". UB Post. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Motherland Party and Republican Party are to support Ts.Elbegdorj". vip76.mn (in Mongolian). 29 May 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d Namjilsangarav, Ganbat (26 June 2013). "Mongolian President wins re-election". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  9. ^ GANBAT, NAMJILSANGARAV (26 June 2013). "Incumbent wins Mongolia presidential election". Idaho Statesman (AP). Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Ts.Elbegdorj won by 50.23 percent of votes" (in Mongolian). shuud.mn. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  11. ^ "Obama on Presidential Election in Mongolia". U.S. Department of State. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Statement by President on the Presidential Election in Mongolia". U.S. Department of State. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  13. ^ "UNGA President congratulates Ts.Elbegdorj". MONTSAME News Agency. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  14. ^ "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulates the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj". infomongolia.com. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  15. ^ "José Manuel Barroso sends greetings". news.mn (in Mongolian). 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  16. ^ B., Khuder (4 July 2013). "German Chancellor congratulates Elbegdorj". MONTSAME News Agency. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2013.