Political History

From 1942 to 1989, the Mongol political system functioned practically on the same model as the Soviet one. Mongolia was a republic with a unitary state structure and a legislative body, the People’s Grand Khural. Political power was entirely concentrated within the structure of a single party, the MPRP which had an absolute monopoly over the daily operations of political life.

According to the principle of “democratic centralism,” all power (political, legislative, and executive), was in the hands of a single political leader (prime minister). At the local level, government was in the hands of the small khural of the People’s deputies. They controlled aimags and sums—formed from subdivisions of the agricultural collectives.

The deputies of the small khural, elected locally for a period of two years, had to apply the decisions taken by the higher government bodies. In theory they were able to debate problems and take their own decisions. In reality, all decisions taken by the small khural could be amended or voided by the larger government body.
In the 1980’s, Mongolia marched with the USSR when liberal reforms came under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev. The central system of governing and managing relaxed and more freedoms were allowed in economic and social development. Massive changes came in 1990 when a group of young democracy supporters took to the streets of Ulaanbaatar and led huge protests.

The government folded under pressure and the MPRP’s monopoly on power ended in 1990 when revision to the constitution allowed other parties to participate in elections.  The office pf the president was formed and was meant to coordinate the action of the legislative and executive chambers.  He or she is elected by a direct vote for a period of four years.

Legislative power now belongs to the Grand Khural or Parliament, executive power is shared between the president and the government, while judicial power is becoming more autonomous. These new democratic aspirations have become more concrete with the adoption (13th of Jan, 1992) of a new Constitution.