Ulan Bator (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Elbergdorj Tsakhia has been confirmed as President of Mongolia with 50.2% of votes. At the end of an election campaign dominated by the debate on corruption and resource management, the outgoing president, in office since 2009, exceeded the second candidate by nearly 9%. All the votes were counted, but the result will not be confirmed until the ballots arrive in the capital.
The leader of the Opposition People's Party, Baterden Badamaanyambu, idol of Mongolian wrestling and law graduate, in fact totaled 41.5% of votes, followed by Dr. Udval Natsag, former Minister of Health, with 8%.
Elbergordj, who can count on the support
of the middle class, graduated from
Harvard and was a protagonist of
the peaceful revolution in 1990 that marked the end of the Communist leadership.
During his first term, he
promoted a tough fight against
corruption, while stimulating foreign
investment. In 2012, Mongolia has
experienced a phase of economic
expansion of 12%, thanks to the
discovery of vast mineral
resources such as coal, copper
and gold. The management of these resources, in a country
where most of the population
lives below the poverty line, is one of the main objectives of the reconfirmed government.
'We will use the time
we have left to root out corruption and promote sustainable development "said the Prime Minister
Altankhuyag Norov, also chairman of Elbergordji's Democratic
Party.