During its plenary session on June 11, Parliament accepted U.Khurelsukh as president of Mongolia, and approved the bill on recognition of powers of the president.

Moreover, Parliament passed a draft parliamentary resolution on setting the date for the inauguration of the president of Mongolia, and decided to hold the inauguration ceremony at 11:40 a.m. on June 25.

In accordance with Article 32.2 of the Law on Constitution of Mongolia, the new president will take oath to Parliament within 30 days after election.

During the session, Head of the General Election Commission of Mongolia (GEC) P.Delgernaran reported on the presidential election results.

Emphasizing that in accordance with the Law on Presidential Election, the polling for voters abroad was organized in 44 diplomatic missions of 30 countries from May 30 to 31, the head of the GEC said, “A total of 22,300 civil servants and 2,800 IT staff worked in 22 province and capital city election commissions, 339 soum and district election commissions, the Central Commission for Overseas Voting, 44 sub-commissions, and 2,087 polling station committees to organize the eighth presidential election. Moreover, a total of 5,474 emergency and health officials, 3,137 civil registrars, and 8,500 police officers were involved in compiling voter lists, eliminating duplication, and conducting inspections to enforce infection control regime and procedures.”

“Foreign and international organizations and embassies of foreign countries in Mongolia observed the election and have started presenting their assessments and conclusions, and observers from the International Republican Institute and the Youth Control to Policy NGO, which operate in Mongolia, observed the election. More than 450 journalists, cameramen, engineers and technicians from 80 local media outlets and 16 journalists from 13 foreign media outlets provided information to voters, covered the election process, and disseminated information quickly,” he added.

P.Delgernaran stressed the need to pay attention to a number of specific areas in order to streamline the voting process of Mongolians living and working abroad in the future.

In particular, he said that it is necessary to create a legal environment to increase the participation of voters abroad, and to make decisions related to technical and technological innovations of the automated electoral system. Increasing the number and efficiency of electronic voting systems can solve some of the problems that make voting difficult, he said.

“The majority of voters, or 59.35 percent, had cast their ballots. Although voter turnout was low compared to previous presidential elections, it was concluded that voter turnout was high during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also noted that in accordance with the Law on Presidential Election, a 100 percent manual count was conducted in 2,087 polling stations, and the results of the counting equipment fully corresponded with the results of the control count.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CONCLUSION ACCEPTED

On June 11, Parliament accepted Conclusion No. 6 of the Constitutional Court of May 28, 2021.

The Constitutional Court ruled that Article 21.4 of the Law on Constitutional Court Procedure, which states, “Complaints against a decision of a member of the Constitutional Court on initiating or not initiating a process of examining and resolving disputes by the court raised by disputing parties or proposed by a member of the court, in writing, shall be considered by a session of a three-member bench appointed by the resolution of the chairman of the court, to deliver a decision and certification of decision on the eligibility of the matter for initiating a process of examining and resolving disputes”, violated Articles 1.2, 64.2 and 64.3 of the Constitution of Mongolia.

The court concluded that the section “... or proposed by a member of the court...” of Article 21.4 of the law should be suspended on May 28.

The Constitutional Court found that it violated the principle of independence of the court and its members from any organization, official or other person.

LAW ON SOCIAL INSURANCE AMENDED

During the session, Parliament amended to the Law on Social Insurance and Law on Procedures for Applying Social Insurance Law.

In accordance with the amendment, pension insurance premiums paid by employers and insurers will be reduced from 9.5 percent to 8.5 percent from July 1, 2021.

Lawmakers estimate that reducing social insurance premium payments of employers and insurers to 8.5 percent will increase insurers’ income by about 10 percent and reduce financial burden on businesses.

The temporary reduction in social insurance premium is estimated to cost 94 billion MNT.