Democratic Party faction congress forms Ikh Evsel movement, elects B. Khurts as coordinator

A gathering billed as an extraordinary congress of Mongolia’s Democratic Party was held today at the Cultural Palace in Ulaanbaatar, convened by a group of party members rather than by the party’s central office. The meeting established a national movement called Ikh Evsel (Grand Coalition) and elected former General Intelligence Agency chief, Major General Batyn Khurts, as its general coordinator.

Dorgio.mn and sonin.mn reported that Khurts received 85 percent of the vote. Dorgio said more than 1,000 members from 21 provinces and nine districts took part. Newswire.mn reported that the gathering was initiated by Khurts, former Chingeltei district Democratic Party chair J. Sugarsuren and former head of the capital’s Democratic Youth Association Z. Ulziibayar.

After his election, Khurts said: “Thank you for placing your trust in me and choosing me, for now, for this responsible role. I say ‘for now’ because younger members should carry this work forward. Together we will bring genuine renewal to the party.” According to a resolution summarized by sonin.mn, the movement’s aims include strengthening party unity and expanding policy cooperation with centre-right parties.

The meeting should not be confused with an official extraordinary congress called by the party’s central bodies. On 9 November the Democratic Party said it had not decided to convene such a congress and that the event had not been called by an authorized central organ. That position still stood as of this morning, and it is not yet clear whether the central office will recognize today’s decisions. News sites said participants raised the party’s internal elections, leadership accountability and the position of party leader O. Tsogtgerel.

The dispute inside the party has thus entered a new phase: one group has formed the Ikh Evsel movement, while the official stance of the central leadership has yet to be clearly revised.