What began as public demands for the Prime Minister to explain his son’s and future daughter-in-law’s unexplained luxury lifestyle has triggered the collapse of Mongolia’s coalition government. The protests have now entered their 13th consecutive day.

⚠️ Outside the Grey Palace

On Saturday, May 17, Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene gave a limited interview to select mainstream media regarding his son’s finances. Far from easing tensions, the move sparked further outrage. As the week began, crowds grew, calling for his resignation.

• ⁉️ In a key moment, President U. Khurelsukh met with the PM on Monday, reportedly offering 2 choices: resign or form a new government excluding the Democratic and HUN Parties, effectively dissolving the coalition. The PM declined, deferring the decision to the Mongolian People’s Party conference.
• 🥊 Meanwhile, a rally dubbed “Bring Back Ukhaa Khudag,” allegedly state-backed and calling for the nationalization of key resources, was widely seen as a counter to the youth-led movement. Criticism followed as elderly participants attempted to disrupt the peaceful protests.

🏦 Inside the Grey Palace

On Wednesday, the ruling party held a tense, 10-hour internal conference, ultimately voted to expel the Democratic Party, and continue with a new alliance of smaller parties. On Friday, the Cabinet was expected to meet for a final session where L. Oyun-Erdene would resign, but the meeting was abruptly postponed, deepening uncertainty.

• 🎭 Behind the Scenes: L. Oyun-Erdene’s potential resignation was never framed as a concession to public demand, but as conditional on coalition breakdown. This strategic framing allowed him to control the optics, presenting himself not as a leader ousted by protest, but as one stepping down amid political realignment.

Finally… Once entrusted with the role of parliamentary opposition, the Democratic Party compromised its political integrity by aligning with the ruling Mongolian People’s Party. In the aftermath, party leader L. Gantumur announced his resignation. Yet beyond individual resignations, the moment underscores a deeper structural issue in Mongolia’s entrenched bureaucratic system. Without systemic reform, future leaders risk repeating the failures that led to this crisis.