Government and Politics of Mongolia

Government Type

parliamentary

Administrative Divisions

21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Legal System

blend of Soviet, German, and US systems of law that combines aspects of a parliamentary system with some aspects of a presidential system; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Mongolia; one parent if born within Mongolia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Khurelsukh UKHNAA (since 25 June 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene LUVSANNAMSRAI (since 27 January 2021); Deputy Prime Minister Amarsaikhan SAINBUYAN (since 2021) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the Prime Minister in consultation with the President and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament) elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term; presidential tenure limited to one six-year term (amended from two four-year terms); election last held on 9 June 2021 (next to be held in 2025); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected Prime Minister by the State Great Hural election results: Khurelsukh UKHNAA elected president; percent of vote - Khurelsukh UKHNAA (Mongolian People's Party) 67.7%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (Right Person Electorate Coalition) 20.3%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (Democratic Party) 6.0%; Oyun-Erdene LUVSANNAMSRAI elected Prime Minister by the State Great Hural

Legislative Branch

Unicameral State Great Hural (parliament) with 126 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Elections: Last held on June 28, 2024 (next to be held in 2028). Election results: Percent of vote by party — Mongolian People's Party (MPP) approximately 35.0%, Democratic Party (DP) approximately 16.7%, HUN Party approximately 10.7%, National Labor Party approximately 8.2%, others and independents receiving the remainder; seats by party — MPP 68, DP 42, HUN Party 8, National Labor Party 4, others 4. The 2024 election marked a significant expansion of the legislature from 76 to 126 seats, a constitutional change intended to broaden democratic representation. The MPP retained its position as the dominant political force, though the enlarged parliament introduced greater pluralism across party groupings.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president)

Political Parties

Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party or DP [Radnaasumbere GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Miegombyn ENKHBOLD]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; People's Party or PP [Lamjav GUNDALAI] note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party; MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Head of State

President Khurelsukh UKHNAA

Head of Government

Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene LUVSANNAMSRAI

Cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)

Elections

Last held on June 28, 2024 (next to be held in 2028).

Election Results

Percent of vote by party — Mongolian People's Party (MPP) approximately 35.0%, Democratic Party (DP) approximately 16.7%, HUN Party approximately 10.7%, National Labor Party approximately 8.2%, others and independents receiving the remainder; seats by party — MPP 68, DP 42, HUN Party 8, National Labor Party 4, others 4. The 2024 parliamentary election marked a significant expansion of the Great Khural (legislature) from 76 to 126 seats, a constitutional reform enacted to broaden democratic representation and better reflect the country's growing population and political diversity. The MPP retained its standing as the dominant political force, securing the largest share of seats, while the enlarged parliament introduced greater pluralism, allowing smaller parties and independents to gain meaningful footholds. The expansion was widely viewed as a structural step toward a more competitive multiparty system in Mongolia.

Constitution

12-Feb-92

Independence

11 July 1921 (from China)

National Holiday

Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

International Organization Participation

ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdan BOLD chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 consulate(s) general: New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13 mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Capital City

Ulaanbaatar

Location

47 55 N, 106 55 E

Time Difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC)

History

the name means "red hero" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin SUKHBAATAR, leader of the partisan army that with Soviet Red Army help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s

U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, Ulaanbaatar Telephone: (976) 7007-6001 Emergency after-hours telephone: 976-9911-4168 Facsimile: (976) 7007-6016 You can email the Consular Section directly. The Consular Section is open for American Citizens Services by appointment Monday and Thursday from 1-3 p.m., except on U.S. and Mongolian holidays.

Military Branches

Mongolian Armed Forces (Mongol ulsyn zevsegt huchin): Mongolian Army (includes Mongolian Air and Air Defense, which is to become a separate service in 2015); there is no navy

Service Age and Obligation

18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military operations