Mongolia heads to polls amid coronavirus success but corruption, economy a worry
- Economic malaise, corruption and weak public services dominate concerns among the country’s 3.2 million people, about half of whom live in the capital
- Despite discontent, ruling party expected to make strong showing based on competence in running government affairs and deft handling of Covid-19
People queueing up to vote in the capital, Ulan Bator were required to maintain a distance of 2 metres between each other. Once inside the polling place, election workers checked their temperatures and distributed hand sanitiser.
Police, interior troops and intelligence agents kept a close watch on polling places in response to fears the result could be affected by the buying of votes with cash or free transport provided by candidates.
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‘Genghis Khan spirit’ keeps Covid-19 in check as Mongolians head to polls to elect new parliament
Economic malaise, corruption and weak public services dominate concerns among the country’s 3.2 million people, about half of whom live in Ulan Bator. Electricity and sewage treatment are in particularly short supply in the slum communities that surround the capital, mostly populated by former herders who have given up life on the steppe.