State Great Khural

State Great Khural
Name	State Great Khural
Native name	Улсын Их Хурал
Legislature	Parliament of Mongolia
House type	Unicameral
Established	1924
Preceded by	Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
Leader1 type	Chairman
Seats	76
Voting system	Mixed-member majoritarian
Last election	2020 Mongolian legislative election
Meeting place	Government House, Ulaanbaatar

State Great Khural is the unicameral national legislature of Mongolia, seated in Ulaanbaatar and constituted under the 1992 Constitution of Mongolia. It enacts national statutes, approves budgets, and supervises the President of Mongolia, the Prime Minister of Mongolia and cabinet appointments. Members participate in committees and international parliamentary diplomacy with bodies such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, and bilateral delegations to Russia, China, United States, Japan, and South Korea.

History

The legislative lineage traces to the early revolutionary period after the Mongolian Revolution of 1921, when the Mongolian People's Republic established the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party leadership and a supreme soviet-style assembly. During the socialist era the legislature functioned alongside Choibalsan-era institutions and Soviet-aligned organs under influence from the Soviet Union and policies linked to the Comintern. Democratic transformation accelerated with the 1990 Democratic Revolution, leading to the adoption of the 1992 Constitution which reconstituted the modern unicameral parliament. Subsequent political developments involved major parties such as the Mongolian People's Party, the Democratic Party (Mongolia), and coalition arrangements informed by electoral outcomes in the 1992 Mongolian legislative election, 2008 Mongolian legislative election, 2012 Mongolian legislative election, 2016 Mongolian legislative election, and 2020 Mongolian legislative election.

Structure and Composition

The assembly comprises 76 members representing multi-member and single-member districts, anchored in the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar and aimags including Khentii Province, Selenge Province, Orkhon Province, Darkhan-Uul Province, and Dornod Province. Leadership includes a Chairman and deputy chairpersons elected from within, with parliamentary groups formed by parties such as the Mongolian People's Party, the Democratic Party (Mongolia), the Mongolian Green Party, and various independents. Standing committees cover policy areas linked to ministries like the Ministry of Finance (Mongolia), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mongolia), and the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs (Mongolia), and specialized bodies address issues related to the Bank of Mongolia, mining regulation involving corporations such as Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi and Monpolymet Group, and state audits in coordination with the State Audit Office of Mongolia.

Powers and Functions

The legislature has constitutional powers to pass laws, approve national budgets proposed by the Government of Mongolia, ratify international treaties such as investment agreements and trade accords with partners including the European Union, the People's Republic of China, and the Russian Federation, and to declare states of emergency under constitutional provisions. It exercises oversight through questioning sessions, interpellations of cabinet members including the Prime Minister of Mongolia and ministers, and impeachment procedures that can involve the Constitutional Court of Mongolia. It also confirms appointments to independent institutions such as the General Election Commission (Mongolia), the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, and ambassadors to states including Germany, France, and India.

Electoral System

Members are elected under a mixed-member majoritarian system combining single-member districts with proportional elements, regulated by the General Election Commission (Mongolia). Voter registration procedures are overseen by election law shaped after reforms following the 2008 riots in Ulaanbaatar and legal challenges adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Mongolia. Major parties, including the Mongolian People's Party and the Democratic Party (Mongolia), field candidates in constituencies spanning rural aimags and urban districts such as Songinokhairkhan District and Sukhbaatar District. International observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and regional monitors have assessed various election cycles for compliance with standards set by the International IDEA.

Legislative Procedure

Bill initiation can originate from members of parliament, party caucuses, the President of Mongolia, or the Government of Mongolia ministries such as the Ministry of Finance (Mongolia). Draft laws undergo committee review, readings in plenary sessions, and amendments before passage; once approved they are sent to the President for signature or veto, with vetoes subject to override by a qualified parliamentary majority as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution. Budget bills follow a timetable connected to fiscal policy set by the Bank of Mongolia and audited by the State Audit Office of Mongolia. Emergency legislation and international treaties follow expedited procedures involving the Constitutional Court of Mongolia for constitutional review when challenges arise.

Relationship with the Executive and Judiciary

The assembly operates in a system of checks and balances with the President of Mongolia and the Government of Mongolia; it can pass votes of no confidence against the Prime Minister of Mongolia and approve coalition cabinets. Judicial oversight interacts with the Constitutional Court of Mongolia and the Supreme Court of Mongolia on questions of constitutionality, and legislators may seek rulings on disputes over legislative competence or executive actions. Interbranch tensions have surfaced during crises involving high-profile figures and corporations such as Oyu Tolgoi negotiations, prompting parliamentary inquiries, cabinet reshuffles, and constitutional litigation adjudicated by the Constitutional Court of Mongolia and public interest groups like the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia.

Category:Politics of Mongolia Category:National legislatures Category:Government of Mongolia