The Mongolian Prime Minister, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, has resigned after losing fellow lawmakers support and trust to continue leading the parliament following allegations of misappropriation of public funds and poor economic policies.
Oyun-Erdene announced his resignation after the lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction over his leadership style by voting against him during the plenary with 38 lawmakers demanding the prime minister’s resignation and 44 abstaining from the exercise that could have assisted the country leader to remain in office.
In spite of his resignation, the former Prime Minister will remain in office piloting the country’s affair for next 30 days to allow the lawmakers decide on who will be Oyun-Erdene’s successor.
The former prime minister announced his resignation on Tuesday after the lawmakers made a vote of no-confidence against him after the citizen hit the street protesting against his family’s lavish lifestyle amid economic hardship.
Oyun-Erdene pledged his full cooperation to lawmakers, assuring them of his support throughout the transition process and in facilitating the smooth and orderly election of the country’s next leader.
“It was an honor to serve my country and people in times of difficulty, including pandemics, wars, and economic pressures,” Oyun-Erdene said following the confidence vote.
Public outrage intensified after viral posts revealed footage of Oyun-Erdene’s son’s extravagant birthday celebration and a lavish wedding proposal, sparking widespread criticism.
Many citizens questioned how such displays of wealth were possible given the country’s deepening economic struggles, including inflation, unemployment, and widening inequality.
The controversy fueled suspicions of corruption and contributed significantly to the collapse of support within parliament for Oyun-Erdene’s leadership.
He denied any wrongdoing, insisting he was the target of a politically motivated smear campaign.
According to Transparency International, Mongolia now ranks 114th out of 180 countries in government transparency, a decline that occurred during Oyun-Erdene’s tenure.
In a separate high profile case last year, former Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold faced U.S. forfeiture proceedings over allegations that he used stolen mining revenues to purchase luxury properties in New York contention he has strongly denied.
His resignation now casts uncertainty over Mongolia’s political landscape, as the nation awaits the appointment of a new leader capable of navigating ongoing economic hardships and pressing governance issues.
