Mongolia's Parliamentary Election Begins CountdownEvery thing has been ready for the ballot casting for Mongolia's third State Great Hural (parliament) election, which is scheduled to begin early Sunday morning, said the General Committee of Election (GCE).The committee said that more than 15,600 people have been mobilized to work in 330 sub-committee groups for the election throughout the country. A total 13 parties, 3 coalitions and 24 independent candidates have registered to compete in the 76 seats of parliament in the election, the committee said. Polling station will open across the country at 6 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. on July 2. Some rural herdsmen will travel up to 100 kilometers to cast their ballots at polling stations at counties' centers. The committee will release the preliminary results on Monday (July 3). Official results will be declared about 10 days later. According to the latest result of an opinion poll, about 51 percent of voters said they would support Mongolian people's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), far ahead of the ruling party Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP) and the Mongolian Social Democratic Party (MSDP). One third of the country's 2.4 million people live on less than US$ 10 a month, and thousands of nomad families lost their livelihoods last year in the worst winter in 30 years that wiped out more than 2.5 million head of livestock. It is reported that more than 30 foreign correspondents from over 10 countries and regions, and 21 foreign observers from United States, Britain and Japan have arrived in Mongolia to monitor the election. Mongolia's parliament has 76 seats, serving a 4-year term. The Mongolian Great Hural, or parliament is the supreme power organization of the country. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |