View source for 2008 Mongolian parliamentary election

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{{Infobox legislative election
| country = Mongolia
| previous_election = [[2004 Mongolian parliamentary election|2004]]
| next_election = [[2012 Mongolian parliamentary election|2012]]
| election_date = 29 June 2008
| seats_for_election = All 76 seats in the [[State Great Khural]]
| majority_seats = 39

| party1 = [[Mongolian People's Party|MPRP]]
| leader1 = [[Sanjaagiin Bayar]]
| percentage1 = 52.68
| seats1 = 45
| last_election1 = 36

| party2 = Democratic Party (Mongolia)
| leader2 = [[Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj]]
| percentage2 = 40.44
| seats2 = 28
| last_election2 = 34

| party3 = [[Civil Will–Green Party|Civil Will]]
| leader3 = [[Sanjaasürengiin Oyuun]]
| percentage3 = 1.98
| seats3 = 1
| last_election3 = 0

| party4 = Mongolian Green Party
| leader4 = [[Dangaasürengiin Enkhbat]]
| percentage4 = 1.43	
| seats4 = 1
| last_election4 = new

| party5 = Independents
| leader5 = –
| percentage5 = 3.48
| seats5 = 1
| last_election5 = 3

| map = Mongolia Legislative Elections 2009.svg
| map_upright = 
| map_caption = Constituencies won<br /><span style="background:{{party color|Mongolian People's Party}}">&ensp;</span> MPRP <span style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (Mongolia)}}">&ensp;</span> Democratic<br /><span style="background: green">&ensp;</span> Civil Will <span style="background: limegreen">&ensp;</span> Green Party<span style="background:{{party color|Independent (politician)}}">&ensp;</span> Independent

| title = [[Prime Minister of Mongolia|Prime Minister]]
| before_election = [[Sanjaagiin Bayar]]
| before_party = [[Mongolian People's Party|MPRP]]
| after_election = [[Sanjaagiin Bayar]]
| after_party = [[Mongolian People's Party|MPRP]]
}}{{Politics of Mongolia}}

Parliamentary elections were held in [[Mongolia]] on 29 June 2008. A total of 356 candidates ran for the 76 seats in the [[State Great Khural]]. According to official results published on 14 July, at least 39 seats were won by the ruling [[Mongolian People's Party|Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party]] (MPRP), and at least 25 seats by the main opposition party, the [[Democratic Party (Mongolia)|Democrats]] (DP). Ten seats remained subject to possible recounts.<ref name="dailynews.mn">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.mn/modules.php?name=News&file=article&top&sid=17772&catid=49|newspaper=Odriin sonin (Daily News in Mongolian)|title=Three electoral districts' result does not come out yet|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720063815/http://www.dailynews.mn/modules.php?name=News&file=article&top&sid=17772&catid=49|archivedate=2008-07-20}}</ref>

==Electoral system==
Members of the [[State Great Khural]] were elected from multi-seat constituencies in a [[plurality-at-large voting|Plurality-at-large system]], with two to four seats per [[Aimags of Mongolia|aimag]] or (in Ulaanbaatar) [[düüreg]].<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6407922.html "Mongolia to hold parliamentary election end of June"], Xinhua (''People's Daily Online''), 2008-05-09.</ref> Previous elections had single-seat constituencies, and the new, more complicated voting system was reported to have led to a delay in vote counting.<ref>[http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/1834/2/ Mongolia sees counting of votes delayed by new election system]. ''Mongolia Web News''. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</ref>

Of the 76 seats, 20 were elected from Ulaanbaatar, and the other 56 were elected from the aimags. Mongolian voter registration is coupled with civil registration.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Vote counting was manually done by hands and was not publicly done,{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} and results of individual polling stations are not published.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} After the 2004 parliamentary elections had been contested in some constituencies, Mongolian voters now have their thumbs marked after casting their vote.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}

==Campaign==
311 candidates from 11 parties and one coalition, plus 45 independent candidates, were running for election,<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6439471.html Preliminary results: Mongolia's ruling party wins parliamentary election]. ''People's Daily Online''. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</ref> only 28 of them being incumbent MPs.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfLpW-4HRBr0z4y2SYPZ0hBlTKxA Polling stations busy as voters queue up across Mongolia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080707235444/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfLpW-4HRBr0z4y2SYPZ0hBlTKxA |date=2008-07-07 }}. ''Agence France-Presse''. Google News. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-07-02.</ref> Both the DP and the MPRP promised cash payouts in case of an election win.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} The DP promised 1,000,000 [[Mongolian tögrög|MNT]] (about 800 USD) per person in case of an election win. After first denouncing the idea of such payouts, the MPRP changed course and promised 1,500,000 MNT per person.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Other issues were inflation and mining. As in previous elections, there were instances of candidates making monetary payments and other gifts to lure voters.

==Results==
According to results published on 14 July, the MPRP won at least 39 seats, the DP won at least 25, at least one seat was going to the [[Civic Will Party]], and three seats were won by independent candidates. However, results from three constituencies ([[Khentii Province|Khentii]], [[Dornod Province|Dornod]], and [[Bayangol, Ulaanbaatar|Bayangol]]) were delayed.<ref name="dailynews.mn"/><ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6449687.html Two parties win most seats in Mongolian parliamentary election – People's Daily Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On 20 August, final results from Khentii were officially published, raising the number of MPRP seats to at least 42.<ref>[http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008aug5.htm www.mongolei.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei / 25. bis 31. August 2008] (in German)</ref> Turnout was 74.3%, considerably lower than the 82% of the [[2004 Mongolian parliamentary election|2004 elections]].<ref>[http://www.olloo.mn/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=108743&catid=10 Parliamentary elections successfully completed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722220342/http://www.olloo.mn/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=108743&catid=10 |date=2011-07-22 }} (in Mongolian). ''olloo.mn''.</ref>

{{Election results
|image=[[File:2008 Mongolian State Great Khural.svg]]
|party1=[[Mongolian People's Party|Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party]]|votes1=914037|seats1=45|sc1=+8
|party2=[[Democratic Party (Mongolia)|Democratic Party]]|votes2=701641|seats2=28|sc2=–
|party3=[[Civil Will–Green Party|Civic Will Party]]|votes3=34319|seats3=1|sc3=–|color3=#1659c4
|party4=[[Civil Will–Green Party|Green Party]]|votes4=24806|seats4=1|sc4=New|color4=#16c44d
|party5=Independents|votes5=60320|seats5=1|sc5=–2
|total_sc=0
|electorate=1534074
|source=[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2219_08.htm IPU]
}}

===Allegations of fraud===
After intermediate results published on 30 June showed MPRP victory, Democratic Party chairman [[Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj|Elbegdorj]] declared on 1 July that the elections were rigged and that his party would not accept the results.<ref name="reuters">[https://archive.today/20130201110910/http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKPEK27460920080701 Opposition alleges fraud in Mongolia vote]. ''Reuters''. 2008-07-01.</ref> In a press conference held on 7 July, DP politicians Dambyn Dorligjav, [[Zandaakhuugiin Enkhbold]] and [[Lamjavyn Gündalai]] declared that there had been massive irregularities with voter registration. Some of their claims were later repudiated by the central registry office.<ref>[http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008juli2.htm www.mongolei.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei / 7. bis 13. Juli 2008] (in German)</ref> Other allegations were irregularities in the counting process, and voter bribery.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}

For illegally using private documents of voters such as duplicating names of voters by (publishing duplicate IDs and false IDs with the names of dead people and so on) in 2008 parliamentary elections, L.Amarsanaa (MPRP), former chairman of State General Registration Authority was investigated by the Independent Authority Against Corruption and charged in September 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mishmash of L.Amarsanaa, ex-chairman of State General Registration Authority|url=http://sonin.mn/news/politics-economy/7657|newspaper=Niislel Times (Capital City Times) (in Mongolian)|last=L.|first=Altankhishig|place=Ulaanbaatar}}</ref>

==Aftermath==

===Violence===
{{main|2008 riot in Mongolia}}
On 1 July a peaceful gathering started in [[Sukhbaatar Square]] organized by the leaders of some of the smaller parties that took part in the elections. Eventually a large crowd gathered, mainly of young men, surrounding the adjacent MPRP Headquarters. The group started throwing rocks at the building and eventually advancing on it. Smaller police force responded with batons, water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition.<ref>[http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/1847/2/ Mongolia: President Enkhbayar Releases Statement]. ''Mongolia Web News''. 2008-07-01.</ref><ref>[http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2099&Itemid=37 UBPost:MP Battulga Speaks About Riot Aftermath]</ref> In the evening fire started in the MPRP headquarters.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|last=Wong|first=Edward|title=In Election Dispute, a Challenge for Mongolia's Democracy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/world/asia/08mongolia.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=23 June 2013|newspaper=New York Times|date=8 July 2008}}</ref> Not enough measures to stop the riot or extinguish the fire were taken by the authority. Around midnight local time, after simply watching the live broadcast of the riot whole day on television channels, President [[Nambaryn Enkhbayar]] declared a state of emergency to be in effect for the following four days.<ref>[http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/1848/154/ Mongolia: MPRP building in flames, president declares emergency] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804031330/http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/1848/154/ |date=2020-08-04 }}. ''Mongolia Web News''. 2008-07-01.</ref> [[Armored Personnel Carrier]]s were deployed to the streets of Ulaanbaatar, a night curfew and a [[media blackout]] were declared.

Five people, all of them civilians, were killed during the state of emergency: four were shot, and one apparently died from carbon monoxide poisoning.<ref>[http://www.nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=110996&z=5 5,000 người Mông Cổ tràn ngập thủ đô đòi giải tán quốc hội]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{in lang|vi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oyungerel.org/alerts.html|title=A young man with an American dream was among the state-of-emergency victims in Ulaanbaatar|accessdate=4 August 2013|last=Tsedevdamba|first=Oyungerel|publisher=oyungerel.org|date=17 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607091230/http://www.oyungerel.org/alerts.html|archive-date=7 June 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Mongolian Minister of Justice estimated 220 civilians and 108 service members were injured. [[Amnesty International]] raised concerns over the use of "unnecessary and excessive force" by the police.<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/are-mongolian-authorities-getting-away-with-murder-20090115 Amnesty International: Are the Mongolian authorities getting away with murder?]</ref>) Approximately 700 people were later arrested suspected to be being protesters,<ref name=magnie>Magnie, Mark. [http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-mongolia3-2008jul03,0,5393725.story Postelection violence in Mongolia leaves 5 dead]. ''Los Angeles Times''. 2008-07-03.</ref> of whom 140, including 13 minors and 3 women, have been sentenced to 2–7 years in prison as of 31 October 2008.<ref>[http://www.dailynews.mn/modules.php?name=News&file=article&top&sid=20021&catid=33 The number of convicts sentenced to prison for July 1st incident reached 140]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On 15 and 19 August, ten police officers were arrested and charged in connection with the shootings in the night of 1 and 2 July. On 20 August, relatives of these arrested officers organized a protest demonstration on [[Sükhbaatar Square]].<ref>[http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2164&Itemid=36 UBPost: Arrested Mongolian Police Officers are Suspects in Post-Riot Death Investigations]</ref><ref>[http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2182&Itemid=36 Mongolia Police Arrest Controversy Continues; Officers and Their Families Protest]</ref><ref>[http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008aug4.htm www.mongolei.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei / 18. bis 24. August 2008] (in German)</ref>

===Political aftermath===
On 18 July [[Democratic Party (Mongolia)|Democratic Party]] chairman [[Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj]] said that the DP would boycott the opening session of the parliament on 23 July. He also said that he was prepared to resign as DP Chairman if the 200 protesters still being held by the police are not released and the political crisis did not end.<ref>[http://www.mongolia-web.com/content/view/1898/2/ "In Mongolia Democratic Party seems divided, Elbegdorj announces possible resignation"], Mongolia Web, July 19, 2008.</ref> However, the DP members were present in the opening session, with many of its members criticizing the Chairman of the General Elections Committee, and the way the elections were held. After Elbegdorj gave his party's position, members of the DP went out of the parliament. As a result, the new members of the parliament were not sworn in.

On 28 August, most of the DP representatives in the new [[State Great Khural]] (the Parliament) decided to attend the parliament, and all but Elbegdorj were sworn in.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6489014.html|title = New Mongolian parliament sworn in - People's Daily Online}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008aug5.htm|title = Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei / 25. Bis 31. August 2008}}</ref> On 11 September, S. Bayar was elected as Prime Minister of a coalition government between MPRP and DP.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iTMM6hi358PaCuulRp3fy98YuM_g AFP: Mongolian parliament elects PM after turmoil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520165921/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iTMM6hi358PaCuulRp3fy98YuM_g |date=2011-05-20 }}</ref> Elbegdorj finally was sworn in on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.news.mn/news/section=home/page=index#0.8943232420908466 |title=Ts. Elbegdorj Sworn In |access-date=2008-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228212130/http://www.news.mn/news/section=home/page=index#0.8943232420908466 |archive-date=2008-02-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The members from Dornod (two MPRP, one DP) were sworn in on 16 September 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.montsame.mn/index.php?option=com_news&task=news_detail&tab=200809&ne=1415 |title = Үндэсний Мэдээллийн МОНЦАМЭ Агентлаг |access-date=2008-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002080350/http://www.montsame.mn/index.php?option=com_news&task=news_detail&tab=200809&ne=1415 |archive-date=2011-10-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The members from Bayangol (2 MPRP, 1 DP, 1 Civic Coalition) were announced on 9 October 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008okt1.htm|title = Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei / Oktober 2008}}</ref>

On 2 September 2008, Elbegdorj resigned as the head of the Democratic Party as he said. [[Norovyn Altankhuyag]] was elected by the Democratic Party's National Consultative Committee as the next chairman, and the Democratic Party entered a coalition government with the MPRP. On September 12, Elbegdorj was the only member of parliament who voted against [[Sanjaagiin Bayar]] as Mongolia's new prime minister.<ref>[http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008aug5.htm Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei/ 25. bis 31. August 2008], [http://www.mongolei.de/news/2008sep2.htm Aktuelle Nachrichten aus der Mongolei/ 8. bis 14. September 2008] (in German)</ref> Bayar was the chairman of MPRP and Prime Minister who handled 2008 election rigging, riot and measures following riot including the police shooting to civilians that resulted in killing four people and wounded a dozen.

On 24 May 2009, nearly a year after the crisis, [[Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj]] won the [[2009 Mongolian presidential election|2009 presidential election]] against incumbent President Enkhbayar.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mongolia Profile|work=BBC News |date=3 November 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15460528|accessdate=31 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Enkhbayar|last2=Roland-Holst|last3=Sugiyarto |first1=Shagdar|first2=David|first3=Guntur|url=http://are.berkeley.edu/~dwrh/Docs/WP_Mongolia_Resources100920.pdf|title=Mongolia's investment priorities from a national development perspective|publisher=berkeley.edu|date=September 2010|pages=9|accessdate=25 June 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{wikinews-inline|Mongolia declares state of emergency after violent protests, five people killed}}

{{Mongolian elections}}

[[Category:2008 elections in Asia|Mongolia]]
[[Category:2008 in Mongolia|Parliamentary]]
[[Category:Parliamentary elections in Mongolia]]
[[Category:State Great Khural]]
[[Category:June 2008 events in Asia|Mongolia]]
[[Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results]]