Riots that followed parliamentary elections the week before last shone a spotlight on an oft-forgotten haven of democracy in Northeast Asia. A state of emergency has ended, but questions about Mongolia's stability remain. As ever, the solution may be found in genuinely representative politics that puts national interest ahead of personal gain.
Since escaping Moscow's orbit after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mongolia has held five elections, alternated governments and enjoyed considerable stability. Preliminary results of the recent vote gave the ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) a solid majority in the Great Hural, or legislature, and triggered riots that left five people dead and more than 200 others injured. Several hundred were arrested. A state of emergency was declared and lifted after four days. (The election commission confirmed this week that the MPRP won 39 seats in the 76-seat legislature. The opposition Democratic Party grabbed 25 seats and smaller parties gained two.
The riots were set off by allegations of election fraud; the opposition and smaller parties challenged the vote and demanding recounts and new votes in some districts. International observers declared the ballot largely free and fair.