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]
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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
editThe 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
editChanges 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
editThree parties nominated candidates for the presidency.[6]
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
editIncumbent 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
editThe 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
editThe 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
editIncumbent 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]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj | Democratic Party | 622,794 | 50.89 | |
| Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene | Mongolian People's Party | 520,380 | 42.52 | |
| Natsagiin Udval | Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party | 80,563 | 6.58 | |
| Total | 1,223,737 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 1,223,737 | 98.71 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 16,047 | 1.29 | ||
| Total votes | 1,239,784 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,864,273 | 66.50 | ||
| Source: GEC, OCSE | ||||
By province
edit| Subdivision | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 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
editU.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
edit- ^ "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.
- ^ Mongolian presidential election starts Xinhua, 26 June 2013
- ^ Mongolia IFES
- ^ Election Profile IFES
- ^ a b Dari, E. (27 May 2013). "The unique features of the 6th Presidential Election of Mongolia". UB Post. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ a b c d Dari, E. "Candidates for the Presidential Election announced". UB Post. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ GANBAT, NAMJILSANGARAV (26 June 2013). "Incumbent wins Mongolia presidential election". Idaho Statesman (AP). Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Obama on Presidential Election in Mongolia". U.S. Department of State. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Statement by President on the Presidential Election in Mongolia". U.S. Department of State. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "UNGA President congratulates Ts.Elbegdorj". MONTSAME News Agency. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulates the President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj". infomongolia.com. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- ^ "José Manuel Barroso sends greetings". news.mn (in Mongolian). 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ B., Khuder (4 July 2013). "German Chancellor congratulates Elbegdorj". MONTSAME News Agency. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2013.