Final week, Mongolian Prime Minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa resigned, providing a grand gesture of accountability to latest protests over COVID-19 measures. On January 27, 2021, a brand new prime minister, Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, was confirmed by parliament with 87.9 p.c approval.
The brand new prime minister is safeguarding Khurelsukh’s cupboard. He said that one in all his instant plans could be expediting COVID-19 vaccinations, which may have an infinite impact on the economic system. Furthermore, the prime minister’s supportive place within the Mongolia-Rio Tinto renegotiation over the Oyu Tolgoi mine is getting consideration. As soon as the COVID-19 scenario is dealt with, his cupboard additionally plans to ascertain a Digital Growth ministry.
Khurelsukh’s resignation might have opened a chance for a youthful era chief. With Oyun-Erdene, Mongolia is welcoming a 40-year-old prime minister who didn’t take part within the 1990 democratic revolution and has been educated to develop a particular give attention to coverage somewhat than politics. Having grown up within the countryside, Oyun-Erdene graduated from the Kennedy College of Authorities at Harvard College with a Masters of Public Coverage.
Throughout his time as chief cupboard secretary, Oyun-Erdene has devoted himself to “Imaginative and prescient 2050,” Mongolia’s long-term improvement technique. Imaginative and prescient 2050 is a solutions-based built-in technique that goals to implement good governance, citizen-based authorities providers, and financial insurance policies to strengthen Mongolia’s potential. The plan additionally requires Mongolia to take part in financial integration, combat in opposition to local weather change, and attempt for sustainable improvement. “Imaginative and prescient 2050 combines worldwide expertise, coverage examples from international locations equivalent to Singapore, Estonia, and different efficiently developed international locations,” says Batnairamdal Otgonshar, vice minister of Mining and Heavy Trade.
One profitable implementation instance is the launch of Mongolia’s e-governance mannequin – in the course of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Round 8,000 individuals are on e-mongolia each day and utilization has elevated 3 times extra for the reason that nation’s lockdown,” Bolor-Erdene Battsengel, the director of the Communications and Info Know-how Authority, advised The Diplomat.
The truth that Oyun-Erdene has centered a lot consideration on this venture is uncommon as Imaginative and prescient 2050 purports to be centered on the implementation of insurance policies – one thing that many Mongolian and foreign-financed plans have didn’t do. This coverage focus indicators a sea change in Mongolian political tradition. The nation is shifting away from political leaders who have been primarily skilled within the Soviet bloc and its successor states and who’ve adopted social gathering careers (within the case of the Mongolia Folks’s Celebration, MPP) or have been “heroes” of the 1990 revolution (within the case of the Democratic Celebration, DP). The looming financial problem is now inherited by a youthful era of leaders.
Khurelsukh’s resignation got here unexpectedly however is a logical step on his method to a run on the presidency. In Mongolia’s hybrid parliamentary-presidential system, a brand new president can be elected this June, although for a single time period of six years below the 2019 constitutional amendments. The identical amendments strengthened the place of the prime minister, however a bid for the presidency looks as if a pure step for Khurelsukh, who – whereas an efficient political supervisor – has proven no indication of a particular political agenda and thus appears properly suited to a prestigious, however much less lively, workplace. Khurelsukh was anticipated to hunt MPP’s nomination for the presidential election.
Final summer season’s parliamentary election noticed Khurelsukh consolidate his maintain over the MPP. It’s broadly believed that Oyun-Erdene has ascended to the prime ministership via his affiliation with Khurelsukh. A second-term MP, Oyun-Erdene has served because the chief cupboard secretary in each of Khurelsukh’s cupboards. His re-appointment to the put up this previous July was significantly vital as prime ministers are restricted in appointing solely 4 MPs to the cupboard.
Whereas the DP has rebuffed inside calls for for generational change, in final yr’s parliamentary election the Nationwide Labor Celebration (referred to by its Mongolian acronym, KHUN) grew to become the brand new drive in parliament, led by people who share some traits with Oyun-Erdene: youthful, Western-educated professionals.
As a substitute of working throughout the established events, many in Oyun-Erdene’s peer group are trying to construct an alternate within the KHUN. Whereas they solely received a single seat in parliament, they’re prone to proceed emphasizing generational change. Neither Oyun-Erdene nor the KHUN is distinguished by a strong political platform past a practical drive for good apply.
The appointment of Oyun-Erdene presents the potential for transformative generational change in Mongolia’s management. The newly elected prime minister represents a youthful era of leaders which have studied overseas, uncovered to democratic rules, societies, and insurance policies. Whereas this may be refreshing, this doesn’t imply the MPP will dwell as much as its coverage targets. It’s nonetheless one of many established political events, and the social gathering may be much more firmly in cost now. As is well-known, nice energy is extra prone to result in extra vital corruption. Then again, the latest protest as soon as once more reminds us of Mongolia’s democratic upbringing, and the emergence of one other wave of youth involvement in Mongolia’s political setting.
A earlier model of this piece used the mistaken acronym for the Nationwide Labor Celebration.
Bolor Lkhaajav holds an M.A. in Asia-Pacific Research from the College of San Francisco. She is a frequent author and commentator on Mongolian politics and overseas coverage and is at the moment writing a guide on Mongolia’s overseas coverage. She can also be a co-host of the 77 Nation political podcast, primarily based in Washington, D.C. Bolor beforehand assisted Oyun-Erdene on a analysis venture remotely in 2019.
Julian Dierkes teaches within the Grasp of Public Coverage and International Affairs on the College of British Columbia. He additionally serves as one of many principal writers of the Mongolia Focus weblog.