Parliamentary elections were held in Mongolia on 28 June 2024 to determine the composition of the State Great Khural. The number of MPs increased from 76 to 126 following a constitutional amendment in 2023.
According to preliminary results, the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) secured 35% of the vote and won 68 of the 126 seats. The State Great Khural re-appointed MPP chairman Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene as prime minister on 5 July.
Background
In the 2020 parliamentary elections, the Mongolian People's Party won a supermajority of 62 of the 76 seats and formed a government headed by re-appointed prime minister and MPP chairman Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. The Democratic Party, the primary opposition to the MPP, won a slightly increase 11 seats. However, COVID-19 protests in 2021 led to the resignation of prime minister Khürelsükh and his entire cabinet after only five months in office. Khürelsükh was succeeded by Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, an MPP lawmaker representing younger generation born in the 1980s. More protests later began in December 2022 due to a major government corruption scandal in relation to coal exports.
In August 2022, the Constitutional Court annulled Article 39, Section 1 of the constitution, which allowed the prime minister and members of his cabinet to simultaneously hold office in the State Great Khural. With the constitutional limit removed on cabinet ministers, prime minister Oyun-Erdene reshuffled his cabinet to further his liberalization and reform agenda on 30 August 2022, adding 10 new ministers and expanding the size of the cabinet from 17 to 21 ministers, the largest in modern Mongolian history.
Also shortly after the ruling, a series of laws were passed that gave parliament the power to amend the constitution. On 31 May 2023, the Great Khural voted to amend Article 21.1 to increase the number of seats in the State Great Khural from 76 to 126. Local political analysts believed that these constitutional changes, coupled with an enlargement of parliament, would allow for a larger plurality of political parties and loosen the stranglehold that the MPP had held since the fall of the Soviet Union and its supermajority since 2016.
Redistricting On 18 December 2023, the ruling and opposition parties reached a consensus to redraw the electoral districts. Subsequently, the State Great Khural's plenary session passed a resolution on the creation of 2024 regular election constituencies of the State Great Khural, and the determination of the number, territory of the mandates of the constituencies, resulting in the reformation of the electoral districts. In comparison with the previous elections, there was a decrease of the constituencies, bringing the total from 29 to 13.
Electoral system
Following the passing of a new electoral law, the elections were held using a parallel system, with 78 seats elected by multiple non-transferable vote in 13 multi-member constituencies and 48 by closed list proportional representation at the national level with an electoral threshold of 4% for individual parties, 5% for a two-party coalition and 7% for coalitions of three or more parties. To qualify for proportional seats, parties and coalitions must also have candidates running in at least half of the seats in each constituency. Party lists must adhere to the zipper system, while the overall gender ratio of candidates for a party must not be greater than 70:30 or less than 30:70. A voter turnout of 50% is required for the result in a constituency to be considered valid, or another round of voting must be held for that constituency. Voting was held in 2,198 polling stations nationwide.
Timetable The following timetable was approved by the General Election Commission (GEC) on January 10:
1 March Deadline for audit organization to set campaign finance limits 24 March Deadline for parties to submit election platform 28 April Deadline for parties to submit intention to participate 14–20 May Parties nominate candidates 10 June The GEC issues candidate cards 15 June Deadline for Mongolians residing abroad to register 10–26 June Election campaign period 20–23 June Polling days for overseas Mongolians to be conducted in embassies and consular posts 28 June Polling day (from 7am until 10pm)
Political parties According to a 2024 report, thirty-seven political parties were officially registered by the Supreme Court of Mongolia.
Parliamentary parties The outgoing 8th convocation of the State Great Khural comprised four political parties and one independent at its inauguration. The only legislator of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party left the party in 2021, when the MPRP merged with the MPP on its 100th year anniversary and ahead of the 2021 presidential election and parliamentary by-election. Before its dissolution in June 2024, parliament consisted of three parties and two independents. NameParty leaderFloor leaderIdeologyPosition2020 electionAt dissolutionVotes (%)SeatsMPPMongolian People's PartyLuvsannamsrain Oyun-ErdeneDulamdorjiin TogtokhsürenSocial democracyCentre-left45.0%DPDemocratic PartyLuvsannyamyn GantömörOdongiin TsogtgerelLiberal conservatismCentre-right24.5%MPRPMongolian People's Revolutionary PartyNambaryn EnkhbayarLeft-wing populismCentre-left8.1%HUNHUN PartyTogmidyn DorjkhandLiberalismCentre-right5.2%
Contesting parties On 29 April 2024, the GEC stated that, between 26-28 April, a total of 26 political parties and 2 coalitions applied to participate in the election; the Justice Party expressed their intent not to participate in the election. Of the 26 parties which applied, three parties—the Great Harmony Party, the Development Program Party, and the Mongolian Reform Party—were denied by the GEC due to non-compliance with the requirements specified in Article 28, Sub-section 28.3.3 and 28.3.7 of the Law on Elections. Consequently, the GEC approved the registration of 23 parties and 2 coalitions on 30 April.
On 26 May, the GEC officially finished receiving candidate documents. A record of 1,341 candidates from 19 political parties, 2 coalitions and independents were received and approved by the GEC. Three registered parties—the World Mongols Party, the Mongolian Liberal Party, and the Ger Area Development —didn't submit candidate documents in time and the Democracy and Reform Party decided not to stand in the election.
PartyConstituency seatsParty listTotal Mongolian People's Party7848126 Democratic Party7848126 HUN Party7547122 National Coalition (MGP, MNDP)452570 New United Coalition (MTUP, NEW Party)533790 United Patriots Party101 The Civic Unity Party53457 Civil Will–Green Party601272 People's Majority Governance Party44 27 71 Republican Party391554 Mongolian Liberal Democratic Party101 Civil Movement Party7648124 Truth and Right Party621880 Good Democratic Citizens United Party371855 Mongol Conservative Party22022 Freedom Implementing Party25530 Mongolian Social Democratic Party606 Motherland Party39443 People's Power Party52860 For the Mongolian People Party38442 Liberte Party43447 Independent42-42Total9693721,341
Lawmakers not standing for re-election Twenty-two sitting members of the State Great Khural did not stand for re-election.
+ Members of Parliament not standing for re-election MP Seat First elected Party Yondonperenlein Baatarbileg Arkhangai 2016 Mongolian People's Party Jamyangiin Mönkhbat Arkhangai 2016 Mongolian People's Party Khavdislamyn Badyelkhan Bayan-Ölgii 2008 Mongolian People's Party Tsogt-Ochiryn Anandbazar Bulgan 2020 Mongolian People's Party Byambasürengiin Enkh-Amgalan Govi-Altai 2016 Mongolian People's Party Shatarbalyn Radnaased Govi-Altai 2016 Mongolian People's Party Sükhbaataryn Batbold DundgoviGovisümber 2004 Mongolian People's Party Khayangaagiin Bolorchuluun Dornogovi 2012 Mongolian People's Party Tsedeviin Sergelen Dornogovi 2020 Mongolian People's Party Dashdembereliin Bat-Erdene Ömnögovi 2004 Democratic Party Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat Selenge 2012 Mongolian People's Party Nyamaagiin Enkhbold Töv 2000 Mongolian People's Party Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene Khentii 2000 Mongolian People's Party Baagaagiin Battömör Darkhan-Uul 2016 Mongolian People's Party Tsendiin Mönkh-Orgil Sükhbaatar 2004 Mongolian People's Party Tserenjamtsyn Mönkhtsetseg Sükhbaatar 2020 Mongolian People's Party Tömörbaataryn Ayuursaikhan Chingeltei 2016 Mongolian People's Party Jamiyankhorloogiin Sükhbaatar Chingeltei 2008 Mongolian People's Party Khishgeegiin Nyambaatar Songino Khairkhan 2016 Mongolian People's Party Badarchiin Jargalmaa Songino Khairkhan 2020 Mongolian People's Party Ganibalyn Amartüvshin Khan-Uul 2020 Mongolian People's Party Davaajantsangiin Sarangerel Khan-Uul 2012 Mongolian People's Party
Campaign Election campaigning officially began on 10 June 2024, when candidates received their ID cards from the GEC.
Single large billboards were placed by the GEC on public streets and squares instead of multiple billboards and signs. The 2023 electoral law heavily regulated campaign posters to public notice boards, which was partly inspired by election boards in Japan (Senkyo postā keijiba).
Among issues raised during the campaign were corruption, unemployment, inflation and agricultural problems.
Opinion polls Polling firm Fieldwork date Samplesize MPP DP MPRP CWGP HUN NCOtherNone//Sant Maral1,000 25.120.5–1.95.20.97.8–4.534.1MEC Barometer980 2217––10615––30Sant Maral1,000 13.610.7––2.3–1.4–6.765.3Sant Maral3 May – 10 Jun 20221,200 21.410.2––3.1–0.3–3.761.4 Merger of MPP and MPRPSant Maral1,210 20.79.72.4–3.6–0.50.24.458.4 2020 election – 44.924.58.15.2–8.58.7––
Incidents
Death of opposition party member On 16 June, B. Bayanmunkh, a member of the Democratic Party and a governor of Sant sum, was beaten to death. It was found that perpetrator was an agitator of 1st election district candidate Gürsediin Saikhanbayar. In response, the MPP decided to withdraw Saikhanbayar as a candidate. However, the GEC stated that a candidate cannot be withdrawn once they have been registered, issued an identity card and their name has been entered on the ballot paper. Saikhanbayar also stated that he will continue to campaign and compete in the elections.
Results Preliminary results showed the ruling Mongolia People's Party had won a narrow and reduced majority in the Khural, which allowed Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene to publicly claim victory. The Democratic Party also gained 42 seats, an increase from the 2020 election. The full official results were presented by the GEC on 1 July 2024.
Results by constituency Results by constituency
Incumbents who were unseated + Members of Parliament who lost re-electionMPSeatFirst elected Party New MP New partyGombojavyn ZandanshatarBayankhongor2004Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableAmgalangiin AdiyaasürenBayankhongor2020Democratic PartyNot applicableDulamdorjiin TogtokhsürenÖvörkhangai2016Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableSodnomyn ChinzorigÖvörkhangai2016Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableGochoogiin GanboldÖvörkhangai2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableTsedendambyn TserenpuntsagZavkhan2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableBaljinnyamyn BayarsaikhanZavkhan2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableShirnenbanidiin AdishaaKhovd2020Democratic PartyNot applicableChimediin KhürelbaatarUvs2008Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableDamdinsürengiin ÖnörbolorSelenge2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicablePurev-Ochiryn AnujinSongino Khairkhan2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableNayantain GanibalSükhbaatar2020Democratic PartyNot applicableTömörtogoogiin EnkhtüvshinDornogovi2020Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableBatsükhiin SaranchimegBayanzürkh2016Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableGompildoogiin MönkhtsetsegDundgoviGovisümber2016Mongolian People's PartyNot applicableMönkhöögiin OyuunchimegChingeltei2016Mongolian People's PartyNot applicable
Aftermath