In a dramatic turn of events, Mongolia's parliament voted on October 17, 2025, to oust Prime Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar after only four months in office, marking the second time this year the country has lost a head of government to political turmoil. The move follows weeks of infighting within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party and widespread public frustration over corruption, rising living costs, and economic uncertainty.
Gombojav Zandanshatar, a 55-year-old economist and former top diplomat, was only sworn in as prime minister on June 13, 2025, according to AFP. He had replaced Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, who was forced out following youth-led protests in Ulaanbaatar that targeted elite profiteering and called for a cleaner, more accountable government. But Zandanshatar’s tenure proved just as tumultuous, culminating in a no-confidence vote that saw 71 out of 126 lawmakers support his dismissal, with 40 opposing, as reported by Mongolia’s national parliament, the State Great Khural.
The immediate cause of Zandanshatar’s downfall was a bitter feud within his own party. The trouble began after he lost a party leadership election to Amarbayasgalan Dashzegve, who served as parliamentary speaker. Supporters of Zandanshatar accused Amarbayasgalan of corruption linked to Mongolia’s lucrative coal mining industry, prompting a government investigation. In response, Amarbayasgalan requested to resign from his role as speaker on October 16, 2025, stating, “The obsession for power among those who lost the election, and their lawless, arbitrary actions within the executive branch, are unlawfully influencing law enforcement agencies, in violation of the Constitution.”
But the internal party drama was only part of the story. Zandanshatar faced mounting criticism from lawmakers and the public alike. On October 10, more than 50 members of parliament submitted a motion to dismiss him, citing a series of constitutional violations. Chief among these was his unilateral appointment of a new minister of justice and home affairs, allegedly without the required parliamentary consultation. Parliamentarians charged that this move “encroached on the powers of the President of Mongolia and the State Great Khural, violates the fundamental principles of the constitution, and violates the principle of the rule of law.”
Further criticisms included Zandanshatar’s public comments on an ongoing government investigation, which some MPs claimed undermined judicial independence and the presumption of innocence. Others pointed to his changes in pricing mechanisms for major mineral exporters, which shifted royalty calculations from international benchmarks to domestic stock prices. Lawmakers warned that this policy could hurt the national budget and foster unfair competition, especially in a country where the mining sector is a crucial pillar of the economy.
The political crisis comes at a particularly delicate moment. The Mongolian parliament has yet to pass the budget for 2026, and public sector workers are growing restless. Teachers went on strike during the week of October 13–17, demanding salary hikes in the upcoming budget, and medical doctors have threatened to follow suit. During the debate before his removal, Zandanshatar defended his record, declaring, “We are fighting against the theft of the nation’s wealth that has robbed every Mongolian, and we are working to increase the salaries of teachers and doctors.”
The process that led to Zandanshatar’s ouster was itself fraught with controversy. A parliamentary committee initially voted against his dismissal, but the full parliament was then asked whether it supported the committee’s decision. In a quirk of Mongolian parliamentary procedure, lawmakers who abstain from voting are counted as “no” votes. The result was a clear majority against Zandanshatar, sealing his fate. Some of his supporters attempted to delay the inevitable by boycotting the session on October 16, denying the 126-member body the quorum needed for a vote and pushing the decision back by a day. But by Friday, the numbers were against him.
Amarbayasgalan, the prime minister’s chief rival, also stepped down as speaker of parliament, with lawmakers approving his resignation. He justified his decision as a way to restore his honor and defend Mongolia’s parliamentary democracy, a system that has come under increasing strain in recent years.
Mongolia’s young democracy, sandwiched between the regional superpowers of China and Russia, has faced recurring waves of political instability. The country’s mineral wealth has brought both opportunity and trouble. Widespread corruption scandals and the perception that a small elite is hoarding the profits of the coal mining boom have fueled repeated protests and demands for change. According to Le Monde, Zandanshatar’s appointment in June followed mass demonstrations by young people who were fed up with injustice and the status quo.
The ouster of two prime ministers within just a few months has raised serious questions about the stability of Mongolia’s political system and the health of its democracy. Former Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai, who was himself forced out in June after his son’s lavish spending became a symbol of elite excess, warned that such instability could threaten the very foundations of Mongolia’s parliamentary system. He cautioned that if “the political situation becomes unstable, the economic situation deteriorates, and political parties cannot come to consensus” then Mongolia’s “democratic parliamentary system [could be] at risk of collapse.”
For now, Zandanshatar remains in office as caretaker prime minister until a successor is named, which must happen within 30 days. The identity of his replacement remains uncertain, and it is not yet clear whether Zandanshatar will challenge his dismissal or quietly exit the political stage. Meanwhile, the country faces a host of unresolved issues: the passing of the national budget, public sector strikes, and an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption at the highest levels.
Investor confidence, already shaken by years of political infighting and policy reversals, is likely to take another hit. The international community is watching closely, particularly given Mongolia’s strategic location and its rich reserves of coal, copper, and other minerals. Any further instability could have ripple effects well beyond the country’s borders.
Mongolia’s latest political crisis is a stark reminder of the challenges facing resource-rich democracies struggling to balance economic opportunity, public accountability, and the rule of law. As parliamentarians prepare to select a new leader, the stakes could hardly be higher for the country’s future direction.
With the nation’s leadership once again in flux and pressing economic and social issues unresolved, Mongolia’s path forward remains as uncertain—and as closely watched—as ever.