TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prime Minister of Mongolia Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned from his position on Tuesday, after failing to gather support from the parliament and facing public protests against his son's extravagant lifestyle.
Oyun-Erdene accepted the decision, telling the parliament that the government could no longer exert its power and that he was proud to have served the people of Mongolia.
"It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs," Oyun-Erdene said after the vote results were announced, as reported by POLITICO.
Oyun-Erdene, who has been serving as prime minister since January 2021 and was reelected in July 2024, will continue to serve as interim prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days.
In a vote of confidence motion presented by Oyun-Erdene to the parliament, he only received 44 votes, which is a significantly lower number than the 126 votes needed to gain the representatives' trust.
Oyun-Erdene's resignation signals the collapse of the three-party coalition government formed in July last year by the Mongolian People's Party and two opposition parties after the ruling party narrowly retained its edge in the previous month's general election.
Many legislators from the coalition parties urged Oyun-Erdene to step down, as local media reported his son's extravagant lifestyle, including when he booked a luxurious hotel to propose to his fiancée, sparking protests that lasted several weeks.
The vote was taken after weeks of protests triggered by the lavish engagement video of the prime minister's 23-year-old son. Critics were angered by the helicopter trip, expensive wedding ring, designer bags, and luxury car captured in the video.
Suspicions began to grow in the country about how the son amassed such wealth, especially since Oyun-Erdene campaigned on the platform of coming from a poor rural family.
Oyun-Erdene has denied corruption allegations, accusing critics of running a smear campaign.
According to Transparency International, a corruption watchdog, the situation in Mongolia has worsened since Oyun-Erdene took office. Last year, the country was ranked 114th out of 180 countries for the transparency of its government.
The 44-year-old prime minister took office in 2021 after serving as the head of the cabinet secretariat under his predecessor, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Khurelsukh is currently serving as the president of Mongolia.
The outgoing prime minister has pushed for infrastructure projects and resource development in the mineral-rich country, outlining 14 major projects including mineral processing centers, water diversion initiatives, dams, and power plants.
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