• Mongolian lawmakers voted to oust Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav after just four months in office.
• The dismissal follows ongoing political strife over corruption, rising living costs, and disputed mineral taxation policies.
• Gombojav's successor will be appointed within 30 days, intensifying uncertainty in Mongolia's political landscape.

Mongolian parliamentarians voted to remove Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav on October 17, just four months after he assumed office amid youth-led protests against corruption and elite injustices. A significant factor in his ousting included a controversial shift in minerals policy that alarmed lawmakers concerned about its impact on the national budget, resulting in 71 votes for removal, with three-quarters of parliament present during the session, according to Le Monde and Reuters.

The internal power struggle heated up when lawmakers criticized Gombojav for attempting to appoint a new justice minister without parliamentary consultation, marking a significant breach of protocol. This incident echoes the political turmoil that has characterized Mongolia’s governance, with Gombojav taking office in June after his predecessor, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, was ousted following corruption allegations and public protests, according to SCMP and Reuters.

The current political climate in Mongolia is fraught with dissatisfaction over rising living costs and pervasive corruption, prompting a volatile environment that may hinder both governance and economic stability. The recent vote has created a vacuum, with a new prime minister expected to be nominated by President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and needing parliamentary approval, which complicates the ongoing challenges the nation faces, reported Le Monde and SCMP.