Mongolia Presidential Election: ODIHR Special Election Assessment Mission Final Report
The 2021 presidential election in Mongolia was administered efficiently and candidates were able to campaign freely, but excessive limitations on the right to nominate and stand as a candidate, as well as restrictive media rules, adversely affected voters’ ability to make an informed choice. These are some of the main conclusions from the final report on Mongolia’s 9 June presidential election, published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The report offers 30 recommendations to bring elections in Mongolia closer in line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.
Key recommendations include:
- Continuing the revision of the electoral legal framework, with broad and inclusive consultations with electoral stakeholders, to address ODIHR recommendations;
- Revising undue restrictions on the right to stand, including on the basis of disability, residency or descent;
- Providing for the possibility of independent candidates and for nominations from non-parliamentary parties;
- Providing a less restrictive framework for campaigning, including the type of activities permitted, as well as the assets and resources that can be used, and permitting campaigning between the first and second rounds;
- Publishing contestants’ campaign finance reports for public scrutiny and requiring the disclosure of contestants’ income prior to election day to enhance transparency and voters’ ability to make an informed choice.
- Revising disproportionate sanctions for libel and provisions on the dissemination of false information;
- Shortening timelines for complaints and appeals and aligning them with the electoral calendar to allow effective and timely redress of election disputes.
ODIHR deployed a Special Election Assessment Mission on 21 May 2021 to observe the presidential election. All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.