torsdag 24 juli 2008

If you can't beat them, lay down and sulk

The Mongolian Democratic Party are boycotting the new parliament. They have still not produced any proof for their allegations that the winning party, MPRP, have cheated in the elections in June. The only "proof" seems to be a feeling that more people should have voted for the DP.

"The opposition party leader, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, says his party will not return to parliament until several demands are met, including an investigation into the riots and information on how five people died that night." (BBC)

We all know how the riots started, with the DP leader publicly demonstrating his anger over the results in the elections, claiming fraud, and the Civil Movement Party leaders leading the way of the rioters up the stairs of the later burnt out building of the MPRP.

One wonder how democratic it is for an MP and former PM (as Elbegdorj) taking to the streets, stirring up people, not trying to solve the disputes within parliament.

The reason there still remains constituencies in dispute may be that the multi candidate system, that the DP are the architects of, didn't turn out to be such a good system. With single candidate constituences the DP won the last election, but now people get the chance to spread their votes on 3-4 different candidates from different parties.

It seems as the DP has made some major strategic mistakes. Walking out of parliament may as well be one of them. Elbegdorj has made clear that he is about to hand over to someone else. Let us hope it will be someone less polemical.

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