Mongolia Political Instability and Zandanshatar Government's 2025 Strategic Trials

Two prime ministers ousted in a single year—Mongolia is navigating its most volatile political era yet. On December 22, 2025, citizens braved the freezing cold outside the Parliament building to demand action on a worsening fuel shortage and soaring living costs. This unrest follows a turbulent year where government spending and corruption allegations have pushed the public's patience to a breaking point.

Mongolia Political Instability and the Reinstated Zandanshatar Government

The political dominoes began falling in May 2025 when youth-led protests ousted the coalition government of Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai. The subsequent constitutional crisis saw the removal of his successor, Zandanshatar Gombojav, only for him to be reinstated in late October. Between September and November, approximately 59,000 people participated in strikes across sectors like education and healthcare. The opposition Democratic Party (DP) remains vocal, threatening to push for further dismissals due to the expansion of deputy minister roles, which they argue contradicts promises of fiscal restraint.

The Third Neighbor Strategy and Global Resource Links

Despite the domestic squabbling, the government's economic strategy is aggressively global. During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in November, Zandanshatar secured a commitment from Russia to double fuel supplies starting January 2026. Simultaneously, Mongolia proposed boosting coal exports to China to 100 million tonnes, up from the record 83.7 million in 2024. Beyond its two giant neighbors, the "third neighbor" policy saw a significant milestone on December 12 with the launch of the Korea-Mongolia Rare Metals Cooperation Center, aimed at securing supply chains for high-tech industries.

Mining Scrutiny: The Oyu Tolgoi Investigation

The Mongolian Parliament also launched a landmark public hearing on Oyu Tolgoi, the nation's largest copper site, to scrutinize the interests of Rio Tinto. With 26.0% of the population living in multidimensional poverty, the government is under immense pressure to ensure that mineral wealth translates into tangible social assets. The 2026-2030 Five-Year Development Plan aims to address these core issues, but the success of Vision 2050 hinges on whether the administration can maintain stability long enough to implement it.