Mongolian Revolution: At the country's first open pro-democracy public demonstration, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj announces the establishment of the Mongolian Democratic Union.
Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj (Mongolian: , Cahiagn Elbegdorj [tsaxiagi epegtrt]; also referred to as Mongolyin Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Tsakhia Elbegdorj; born 30 March 1963) is a Mongolian politician who served as President of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. He previously served as Prime Minister in 1998 and again from 2004 to 2006.
Elbegdorj was one of the key leaders of the 1990 Mongolian democratic revolution that ended 70 years of communist rule in Mongolia, and co-drafted the country's 1992 constitution that guaranteed democracy and a free market economy. Elbegdorj has been labeled by his supporters as a "freedom fighter" and the "Golden Sparrow of Democracy," alluding to a bird that comes with spring sunshine after a long, harsh winter.Elbegdorj is the founder of the Ardchilal (English: Democracy) newspaper the country's first independent newspaper and helped to establish the first independent television station in Mongolia.His tenure has focused on fighting corruption, environmental protection, women's rights, judicial reform, civic engagement, economic liberalization and privatization, property rights, and the abolition of the death penalty.
The Mongolian Revolution of 1990, known in Mongolia as the 1990 Democratic Revolution (Mongolian: 1990 оны ардчилсан хувьсгал, 1990 ony ardchilsan khuvisgal), was a peaceful democratic revolution which led to the country's transition to a multi-party system. It was inspired by the economic reforms of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and was one of the many revolutions of 1989. It was led mostly by young demonstrators who rallied at Sükhbaatar Square, in the capital Ulaanbaatar. The main organisers of the demonstrations included Davaadorjiin Ganbold, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Sanjaasürengiin Zorig, Erdeniin Bat-Üül, Bat-Erdeniin Batbayar, and Dogmidiin Sosorbaram.Although one-party rule in Mongolia officially ended with the adoption of a new constitution on 12 February 1992, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) remained in power until it was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition in the 1996 legislative election. However, the MPRP government of the early multi-party period had already begun transitioning the country to a market economy by 1993.