Twice prime minister, the president-elect based his campaign on fighting corruption and leading the country out of the economic recession. His supporters celebrated his Communist adversary’s defeat as the start of a “new morning”.
However the two main parties remain partner in the existing coalition government and their policy differences are minimal.
The campaign was dominated by issues relating to the country’s rich natural resources (copper, gold, uranium, lead, zinc, and coal) and ways to overcome the current crisis.
Despite its vast mineral wealth Mongolia is poor. One third of the population lives below the poverty line and the average monthly salary is around US$ 200.
Sandwiched between Russia and China, its leaders have sought to improve relations with other countries like the United States or Japan to develop the country’s resource-based economy.
Voting on Sunday went off smoothly and without a hitch. A total of 27 teams of international observers monitored the poll. This is a far cry from last year’s parliamentary elections which saw clashes that left five people dead, hundreds hurt and days of street fighting.
To avoid a repeat of that violence Mongolia’s 1.6 million voters were issued special cards to present at polling stations.
In some remote areas voters had to travel dozens of kilometres; some on horseback, others on motorbike.