Mongolians vote in presidential election
Iran Press TV
Wed Jun 26, 2013 10:4AM GMT
People in Mongolia cast ballots to elect the country’s president, with incumbent President Tsakhia Elbegdorj expected to be re-elected.
The presidential election began on Wednesday morning and some 1.85 million Mongolians, from the country’s three million people, are eligible to cast their votes.
The President, who is of the ruling Democratic Party, held a strong lead in pre-election polling and is heavily supported by the urban middle class in the capital, Ulan Bator.
Elbegdorj was the leader of the peaceful revolution that put an end to the country’s Communist rule in 1990. He was the elected president in 2009 after serving as prime minister for two terms.
The President’s main challenger is Baterdene Badmaanyambuu, the People's Party lawmaker and former wrestling champion, who has showed himself as a clean politician committed to endorse national unity and fight the degradation of the environment caused by the mining industry.
The third candidate is female Health Minister Udval Natsug from the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. She is the supporter of former president Enkhbayar Nambar, who is now in jail over corruption.
A run-off will be held on July 10 between two candidates, if no one could receive 50 percent of the votes.
"I call upon citizens to participate actively in the election," Elbegdorj said after casting his ballot earlier in the day, adding, "Let the blessings be upon the people."
A recent survey carried out by the Mongolian Sant Maral Foundation suggested that 54 percent of the people will take part in the election.
The country’s economy grew 12 percent in 2012 due to investments from foreign firms in the mining sector.
The president in Mongolia is head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, being able to serve two consecutive terms.
SAB/PR
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