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DirectDemocracyS
The global new democracy movement
MONGOLIA
Political, economic, financial, and social programs
2025–2035
Criticism, innovation, and solutions
True Democracy • Citizen Power • Sustainable Future
public.directdemocracys.org
Mongolia is a country with a unique combination of natural resources, a harsh climate, and a nomadic culture. However, despite the introduction of parliamentary democracy since 1990, the power-sharing system of the two major parties (the Mongolian People’s Party and the Democratic Party) has deprived citizens of real decision-making power. Mining wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, and poverty is not reduced. DirectDemocracyS (DDS) offers the opportunity, the means, and a specific program to change all this.
This document: (1) critically analyzes the current political, economic, and social realities of Mongolia, and (2) proposes a detailed and feasible program of citizen empowerment based on the principles of DDS. Our approach is based on logic, common sense, research, reality, truth, and mutual respect.
In the parliamentary elections held on June 28, 2024, the MPP won 68 out of 126 seats. However, this victory did not stop the large-scale protest movement that broke out in May 2025. Why? Because electoral victories do not bring real changes in the lives of citizens.
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Parliamentary seat (MPP) |
68 / 126 (53.9%) |
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Parliamentary seat (DP) |
42 / 126 (33.3%) |
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Election turnout |
69.3% |
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Corruption Perceptions Index (Transparency International) |
116 / 180th floor |
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What 70% of citizens consider a 'big problem' |
Corruption |
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The main demands of the 2025 protests |
Prime Minister's resignation and fight against corruption |
The protests that began on May 14, 2025, led to the resignation of Prime Minister Luvsannamsrayn Oyun-Erdeni. More than 59,000 citizens signed a petition and hundreds of thousands took to the streets. It is a sign of the deep crisis of the current system.
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DDS rating: Mongolia's current system is a democracy in disguise: citizens appear to have power only at the moment of an election, but are left in the hands of politicians for 4-5 years until the next election. DDS proposes a new system that will ensure that citizens have continuous decision-making power in the interim. |
Mongolia’s economy is one of the most fragile in the world. Mining accounts for 25-33 percent of GDP and 80-90 percent of exports. Of these, 82 percent go to China. This means that there is an excessive dependence on one supplier, one buyer, and one product.
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Nominal GDP in 2024 |
23.6 billion US dollars |
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GDP growth (2024) |
5-6.8% |
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GDP per capita |
$5,796 (below the world average) |
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Poverty rate (2022) |
27.1% (900,000 people) |
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China's share in exports |
82.6% |
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Share of mining exports |
80-90% |
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Inflation (2024) |
Around the bank's 6% target |
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Youth unemployment |
16.8% (2018 census) |
Mongolia's entry into the upper-middle-income category in 2024 may seem like progress, but the reality is different: 900,000 people live below the poverty line, income inequality continues to grow, and the profits from mining remain concentrated in the hands of a few.
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Real-life example — Oyu Tolgoi's situation: The Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine is one of the largest in the world. But why is Mongolia’s poverty rate not decreasing when Erdenes Mongol, the Mongolian state-owned company that owns a 34% stake in the mine, should be making hundreds of millions of dollars in profits each year? The remaining 66% is owned by Rio Tinto. Infrastructure costs, operating costs, taxes, distribution — everything is decided by a foreign company. Mongolia does not have full control over its own resources. The DDS approach requires citizens to be fully informed about these conditions and to decide in a transparent referendum. |
Mongolia's social problems can be divided into three areas: environmental disasters, urban-rural inequality, and lack of access to health and education.
Mongolia ranks 116th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. 70% of citizens consider corruption a 'major problem', undermining trust in the system. The 2022 coal theft scandal, the 2025 Prime Minister's family expenses scandal — these are not just individual problems, but manifestations of systemic dysfunction.
DirectDemocracyS (DDS) is a global political movement based on the principles of shared ownership, shared governance, and direct democracy. We share knowledge and information in 56 languages and publish hundreds of articles. DDS is not a short-term democracy, but a participatory, technology-enabled, and corruption-free governance system.
The organization of DDS is based on a fractal micro-group system. Implementing this model for Mongolia's 3.5 million population looks like this:
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Primary small group |
5 citizens — from one local committee |
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Next layer |
5 groups = 25 people — at the soum/district level |
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Third layer |
25 groups = 125 people — at the provincial level |
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Fourth layer |
625 people — regionally |
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Total coverage |
All 21 provinces of Mongolia and 9 districts of Ulaanbaatar |
Each subgroup discusses the selected issue and submits its proposals to the platform. The upper-level groups summarize the conclusions of the lower-level groups and make decisions. In this way, information flows 'bottom-up' and decisions reflect the true will of the citizens.
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Real-life example — How does it apply to herders in the Gobi region? In the current system, Gobi herders can only express their opinions after 4 years. In DDS, they will now have a say in winter preparation issues, receive advice from an expert group, and participate in developing policies that will be implemented at the aimag level. Artificial intelligence will provide understandable information in all Mongolian dialects. |
Article 6 of the Mongolian Constitution states that land and minerals are the property of the people. However, in reality, the profits from large mining deposits are distributed in a manner that is not understandable and does not explain to the public. The average Mongolian citizen does not know how the revenues from large deposits such as Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi are spent.
The DDS will propose the establishment of a 'Mongolian Citizens' Wealth Fund' (MCWF). It would be modeled after the Norwegian Petroleum Fund, but would be controlled by the DDS's direct democratic mechanisms:
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Model results (Norway) |
The world's largest population fund: $1.7 trillion |
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Possible implementation in Mongolia |
40% of the combined annual profit of Oyu Tolgoi + Tavan Tolgoi = MIBS |
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Civilian Profit (hypothesis) |
$150-300 per citizen per year |
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Control mechanism |
DDS platform + ddsAI audit + citizen group |
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Actual mechanisms for combating corruption: In the current system, one prime minister, one minister, and one contract document are enough. In DDS, any contract will go through multiple layers of control: expert group opinion → ddsAI verification → citizens’ referendum → transparent publication. In order to commit corruption, one person would have to blind the eyes of thousands of people — this is practically impossible. |
Mongolia is currently a 'single-product' country. Dependence on exports of a single product leads to over-dependence on a single country (China). DDS will propose investments in the following five pillars:
Mongolia has an average of 257 sunny days per year — a strong energy potential. Currently, Mongolia relies heavily on coal-fired power. Under the DDS program:
Agriculture accounts for 31 percent of Mongolia’s workforce. The 8.1 million livestock deaths in the first half of 2024 due to drought are not just a natural disaster — they are a result of a lack of preparation, insurance, and policy.
Mongolia is the world's largest free-range country and has a unique nomadic culture. However, tourism revenue is not reaching its potential.
Mongolia exports copper and coal to its neighbors without processing them. This shows that it is a 'raw material economy', or at the lowest level of added value.
Mongolia's financial system is heavily dependent on mining revenues, and uses a lot of undeveloped terminology. In this situation, it is impossible to sustainably finance social needs in the long term.
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Consolidated budget deficit (2025 forecast) |
-576 million USD |
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Public debt (percentage) |
About 60% of GDP |
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Inflation |
About 6% |
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Main risks |
Fragility of mining structures, weather effects, geopolitics |
On the DDS digital platform, citizens will be able to see and monitor all Mongolian government spending in real time. This is technically feasible, and ddsAI will automatically identify irregularities and discrepancies and report them to citizens.
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1st year |
Establishing a legal framework, integrating it into the ddsAI platform, and testing it in pilot provinces |
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2nd-3rd year |
Review each mining contract individually and approve procedures for transferring it to the MIBS |
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4th-5th year |
First annual dividend distribution — target $150+ per citizen |
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Years 6-10 |
The size of the fund will grow steadily and finance social insurance, pensions, and education. |
Education is not just about schoolwork — it is the foundation for citizens' decision-making skills. The goal of DDS's educational program is to create informed, critical-thinking citizens.
Mongolia's healthcare system is not reaching the entire population equally. There is a shortage of doctors and medical equipment in rural areas.
The Mongolian electoral law's 'power bag' system (30:70 gender ratio) is correct in principle. But it should be measured in terms of quality, not percentage. DDS will make women's participation real, not formal:
The drought is not just a weather phenomenon — it is a test of government preparedness. The 8.1 million livestock deaths in 2024 were a loss that could have been mitigated by a prepared government.
Citizens know the cause of Ulaanbaatar's air pollution: coal stoves in the Ger district. But neither the government's 'banned' coal nor the new briquettes have been a real solution for citizens.
Mongolia has two giant neighbors — China and Russia. 82 percent of its exports go to China. Most of its energy imports come from Russia. This is a very risky situation for its independence.
DDS adheres to the practical principle of 'deciding what citizens need' for Mongolia. In terms of geopolitics, DDS proposes the following principles:
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Phase 1 (Year 1) |
DDS to be operational in Mongolian. Initial micro-groups to be established in Ulaanbaatar. ddsAI to have Mongolian language support. |
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Stage 2 (2nd-3rd year) |
Pilot groups will be established in each of the 21 aimags. Legalization of the Civil Wealth Fund. Information campaign in the media and social networks. |
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Stage 3 (3rd-5th year) |
Participate in local elections — DDS candidates win in several provinces. Introduce DDS principles into parliamentary debates. |
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Stage 4 (5-10 years) |
Become the main political force in Mongolia and exercise the right of citizens to make real decisions. |
DDS's allddsAI system is not just a technique — it is a new tool for democracy. For Mongolia:
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Example usage: A Mongolian herder's wife is about to vote on a mining contract that expires in ten years. allddsAI will translate the 200-page content of the contract into understandable Mongolian language in 3 minutes, summarizing the benefits, costs, and risks. The herder will vote with that knowledge. |
Mongolia has a rich territory, a courageous history, and talented citizens. But the current political system is failing to fully utilize this potential. The 2025 rally is the voice of the people — they want change.
DirectDemocracyS will offer the following:
This program is not just a policy — it is a way to put real power in the hands of the citizens. DDS believes in Mongolia, and in the intelligence, courage, and collective strength of the Mongolian people.
"Real power in the hands of every Mongolian citizen — this is the promise of DDS."
DirectDemocracyS | public.directdemocracys.org | 2025
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