Mongolia: Election Law Amended, New Election System Adopted
Mongolia’s Parliament, the State Great Hural, reportedly passed a revision of the country’s election law on December 14, 2011. The amended law changes the parliamentary election system from a majoritarian one, under which individual candidates were elected by a majority vote, to a “mixed member proportional system.” (Julian Dierkes, Clarification on Electoral Law, MONGOLIA TODAY (Dec. 15, 2011); see also Julian Dierkes, New Electoral Law Passed by Ikh Khural, MONGOLIA TODAY (Dec. 15, 2011).)
Some highlights of the amended law are:
28 of the State Great Hural’s 76 members will be elected proportionally, by votes cast for political parties, and the remaining 48 members will be chosen by voting for individual candidates from single-member districts who have been nominated by their parties. A party must obtain five percent of the total national vote in order to secure a parliamentary seat.
Mongolians living abroad will be able to vote 15 days before the election through Mongolian embassies.
A quota for women candidates has been introduced, increased from 15% in a committee draft to 20% during the final plenary discussion. (Clarification on Electoral Law, supra; Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, XINHUANET (Dec. 15, 2011).)
Parliamentary elections in Mongolia are held every four years. The next election, based on the amended law, should occur on the third or fourth Wednesday of June, i.e., June 20 or June 27, 2012. (Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, supra; New Electoral Law Passed by Ikh Khural, supra.)
According to the Chairman of the State Great Hural, Damdin Demberel, “[a]fter three years, we finally revised the election law. Passing of this law was not an easy task for the parliament. The election law revisions are very significant. Now the new law needs to be promoted among the public.” (Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, supra; for the text of the law in Mongolian, see Songuuliin Huuliig Ingezh Batallaa [Election Law Adopted], NEWS.MN (Dec. 15, 2011) [revisions appear to be indicated by underlining of additions and strikethroughs of deletions].)
Author: Wendy Zeldin
Some highlights of the amended law are:
28 of the State Great Hural’s 76 members will be elected proportionally, by votes cast for political parties, and the remaining 48 members will be chosen by voting for individual candidates from single-member districts who have been nominated by their parties. A party must obtain five percent of the total national vote in order to secure a parliamentary seat.
Mongolians living abroad will be able to vote 15 days before the election through Mongolian embassies.
A quota for women candidates has been introduced, increased from 15% in a committee draft to 20% during the final plenary discussion. (Clarification on Electoral Law, supra; Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, XINHUANET (Dec. 15, 2011).)
Parliamentary elections in Mongolia are held every four years. The next election, based on the amended law, should occur on the third or fourth Wednesday of June, i.e., June 20 or June 27, 2012. (Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, supra; New Electoral Law Passed by Ikh Khural, supra.)
According to the Chairman of the State Great Hural, Damdin Demberel, “[a]fter three years, we finally revised the election law. Passing of this law was not an easy task for the parliament. The election law revisions are very significant. Now the new law needs to be promoted among the public.” (Mongolia Passes New Election Law Ahead of 2012 Parliamentary Election, supra; for the text of the law in Mongolian, see Songuuliin Huuliig Ingezh Batallaa [Election Law Adopted], NEWS.MN (Dec. 15, 2011) [revisions appear to be indicated by underlining of additions and strikethroughs of deletions].)
Author: Wendy Zeldin
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