1993 Mongolian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Mongolia on 6 June 1993,[1] the first time a head of state had been democratically elected in a competitive election. The two candidates were incumbent president Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat and Lodongiin Tüdev, a renowned writer, editor and prominent political figure.[2] Ochirbat, who was previously elected president of the Mongolian People's Republic by the People's Grand Khural in the aftermath of the 1990 revolution, was nominated as a candidate by the opposition coalition between the Mongolian Social Democratic Party (MSDP) and the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP). Tüdev was nominated as a candidate by the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP).

1993 Mongolian presidential election

6 June 1993
1997 
Registered1,106,403
Turnout92.73%
 
Nominee Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat Lodongiin Tüdev [mn]
Party MSDPMNDP MPRP
Popular vote 592,836 397,057
Percentage 57.78% 38.70%

Results by province

President before election

Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
MPRP

Elected President

Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
MSDPMNDP

The result was a victory for Ochirbat, who received 57.8% of the vote. Voter turnout was 93%,[3] which remains the highest turnout for a presidential election and the only time the turnout for a presidential election was over 90%. It was the MPRP's first electoral loss since the adoption of the 1992 Constitution.[4]

Background

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Fall of communism

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Following the 1990 mass pro-democracy demonstrations, the General Secretary of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, Jambyn Batmönkh, and other politburo leaders announced their resignation in March 1990, paving the way for democratic change in Mongolia.[5]

On 21 March 1990, during the 8th Extraordinary People's Grand Khural session, the following constitutional provision: "The guiding force of the Mongolian People's Republic is the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, which uses the all-conquering Marxist-Leninist theory in its operations." was removed from the Constitution of the MPR; officially ending 70 years of one-party rule.[5]

Transition to democracy

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The first multi-party parliamentary elections were held in July 1990 for the People's Grand Khural and the State Little Khural with a high turnout of 98%. The MPRP won both elections to both houses, while opposition parties made modest gains. Ochirbat was re-elected as a deputy to the People's Grand Khural in the 1990 elections and was appointed to the newly created position of President of the Mongolian People's Republic in September.[6]

People's Grand Khural in 1990 with President Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat (leftmost) and PM Dashiin Byambasüren (rightmost)

In January 1992, a new constitution was ratified, renaming the country Mongolia and changing Ochirbat's title to "President of Mongolia and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces."[7] After the ratification, parliamentary elections were held on 28 June 1992. The MPRP once again won a supermajority, securing 70 out of the total 76 seats in the reformed State Great Khural with 57% of the vote.[8] This was largely attributed to the party's adoption of multiparty governance and its support for a free market economy. The opposition alliance between the Mongolian National Progress Party (MNPP), the Mongolian Democratic Party (MDP), and the Mongolian United Party (MUP) won four seats with 17% of the vote. The Mongolian Social Democratic Party, supported by the German SPD, won one seat with 10% of the vote.[9] The opposition MDP, MNPP, MUP, and Mongolian Renaissance Party merged in late 1992 to form the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP). The MNDP, with its four parliamentary seats, became the primary opposition to the MPRP and second largest parliamentary party.

Local elections were held in October of the same year. The ruling MPRP won all 18 governorships of the country's provinces and almost 90% of all sum legislature seats.[9]

Candidates

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Both Ochirbat and Tüdev were members of the MPRP, but belonged to different factions within the party. During a party conference in the spring of 1993, Ochirbat was rejected as the MPRP's pick for the presidential candidate, with the party instead selecting Tüdev, a well-known writer, editor, and intellectual figure.[9]

In response, the MNDP and MSDP formed a coalition and nominated Ochirbat as their joint candidate for the presidential election.[9]

Names Born Last position Party

Lodongiin Tüdev

9 February 1935
(58)
Naran, Govi-Altai, Mongolia
Editor of Mongolyn Ünen
(1984–1996)
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party

Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
23 January 1942
(51)
Tüdevtei, Zavkhan, Mongolia
President of the Mongolian People's Republic
(1990–1992)
MSDPMNDP

Opinion polls

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Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample size Ochirbat
MNDPMSDP
Tüdev
MPRP
Undecided
MPRP Research, Training and Information Centre[10] April 17 56.6 30.2 13.2
Policy[10] May 1-7 60.0 38.9 1.1
MPRP Research, Training and Information Centre[10] May 7 52.5 44.3 3.2
MPRP Research, Training and Information Centre[10] May 27 46.0 51.0 3.0

Results

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Voting began at 7:00 and ended at 22:00. Ochirbat received 57% of the vote and was re-elected as president at the age of 51, becoming the first non-MPRP president to be elected.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Punsalmaagiin OchirbatMSDPMNDP592,83657.78
Lodongiin Tüdev [mn]Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party397,05738.70
Blank votes36,0773.52
Total1,025,970100.00
Total votes1,025,970
Registered voters/turnout1,106,40392.73
Source: General Election Commission[11]
Vote share
Ochirbat
57.78%
Tüdev
38.70%
Blank votes
3.52%

Results by area

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Subdivision Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
MNDP–MSDP
Lodongiin Tudev
MPRP
Votes % Votes %
Aimags of Mongolia
Arkhangai 29,646 67.83% 14,060 32.17%
Bayan-Ölgii 17,361 46.52% 18,331 49.12%
Bayankhongor 24,193 64.27% 12,424 33.01%
Bulgan 17,785 62.05% 9,889 34.50%
Govi-Altai 6,094 19.67% 24,095 77.76%
Dornogovi 14,724 58.09% 9,821 38.75%
Dornod 23,846 66.43% 10,813 30.12%
Dundgovi 11,674 49.47% 11,284 47.82%
Zavkhan 35,987 78.73% 8,524 18.65%
Övörkhangai 30,080 60.36% 18,034 36.19%
Ömnögovi 12,381 57.32% 8,777 40.63%
Sükhbaatar 16,008 60.88% 9,183 34.92%
Selenge 26,374 63.83% 13,422 32.48%
Töv 28,171 54.73% 21,520 41.81%
Uvs 10,094 24.32 29,202 70.36%
Khovd 16,943 45.44% 19,053 51.09%
Khövsgöl 33,253 60.77% 18,761 34.29%
Khentii 22,787 67.25% 10,036 29.62%
Cities of Mongolia
Darkhan 23,802 63.36% 12,331 32.82%
Erdenet 19,082 72.74% 6,425 24.49%
Choir 3,365 66.07% 1,524 29.92%
Ulaanbaatar 169,186 58.57% 109,548 37.92%
Total 592,836 57.78% 397,057 38.70%

References

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  1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p490 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  2. "Renowned Mongolian writer Lodongiin Tudev passes away". MONTSAME News Agency. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  3. Nohlen et al., p491
  4. Batbayar, Tsedendambyn (1994). "Mongolia in 1993: A Fragile Democracy". Asian Survey. 34 (1): 41–45. doi:10.2307/2644955. ISSN 0004-4687.
  5. 1 2 Б., Дөлгөөн (2015-07-29). "МОНГОЛД АРДЧИЛАЛ ЭХЭЛСЭН ТҮҮХ". ikon.mn (in Mongolian). Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  6. Баабар. "Монголын ардчилсан хувьсгалын хроник". www.baabar.mn (in Mongolian). Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  7. А., Төгөлдөр (2025-01-13). "1992 оноос хойш дөрвөн удаа Үндсэн хуульд өөрчлөлт оруулжээ". ikon.mn (in Mongolian). Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  8. З., Санжаа (2024-06-19). "ТАНИЛЦ: 1992-2020 он хүртэл УИХ-ын сонгуулийн тойрог хуваалт ба үр дүн". ikon.mn (in Mongolian). Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Report on Mongolian Presidential Election: June 6, 1993". IFES. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Batbayar, Tsedendambyn (1994-01-01). "Mongolia in 1993: A Fragile Democracy". Asian Survey. 34 (1): 42. doi:10.2307/2644955. ISSN 0004-4687 via JSTOR.
  11. "Монгол улсын ерөнхийлөгчийн сонгуулиудын дүнгийн эмхэтгэл" [Compilation of Mongolian presidential election results] (PDF), General Election Commission of Mongolia (in Mongolian), Ulaanbaatar, p. 8–23, 2011