МОНГОЛ УЛС « MONGOL ULS »
— English: Mongolia.
— Seat of government: Улаан Баатар « Ulaan Baatar ».
— Status: Democratic.
— Structure: Parliament (Улсын Их Хурал « Ulsyn Ix Xural ») is elected in geographical constituencies (multiple members for each constituency plurality), and chooses the prime minister. The president is elected directly.
— Governing party: Ардчилсан Нам « Ardčilsan Nam ».
— Heads of government: Чимэдийн Сайханбилэг « Čimčdiĭn Saĭxanbilčg », АН « AN », prime minister; Цахиагийн Элбэгдорж « Caxiagiĭn Člbčgdorž », АН « AN », president.
— Chief opposition party: Монгол Ардын Нам « Mongol Ardyn Nam », led by Миеэгомбын Энхболд « Miečgombyn Čnxbold ».
— Recent history: After a 2000 parliamentary election in which the Монгол Ардын Хувьсгалт Нам « Mongol Ardyn Xubĵsgalt Nam » (now the МАН « MAN ») claimed nearly every seat (with a bare majority of the popular vote), elections in 2004 saw the АН « AN »-led Эх Орон-Ардчилан « Čx Oron-Ardčilan » pull even; Элбэгдорж « Člbčgdorž » became prime minister (2004-6), and former prime minister (2000-4) Намбарын Энхбаяр « Nambaryn Čnxbajar » of the МАХН « MAXN » became speaker of parliament in a power-sharing deal, and later became president (2005-9) after a popular election. Eventually the МАХН « MAXN » pulled its ministers from the ЭОА « ČOA »-led government, prompting its dissolution by parliament. Энхболд « Čnxbold » (2006-7) became prime minister; he was replaced as party chair and prime minister by Санжаагийн Баяр « Sanžaagiĭn Bajar » (2007-9). Parliamentary elections in 2008 led to a victory for the МАХН « MAXN » and protests of fraud from the АН « AN »; a brief spell of rioting accompanied the protests, but international observers endorsed the conduct of the poll. Both parties accepted the victory of Элбэгдорж « Člbčgdorž » over Энхбаяр « Čnxbajar » in the 2009 presidential election. The АН « AN » won the 2012 parliamentary elections, and Норовын Алтанхуяг « Norovyn Altanxujag » (2012-4) became prime minister. Элбэгдорж « Člbčgdorž » was reelected in 2013. Сайханбилэг « Saĭxanbilčg » replaced Алтанхуяг « Altanxujag » in 2014.
— FH: 2-2, free. Econ: 6.60 (58), flawed democracy.
— Updated: 2015 March 24.
O.T. FORD