The results of the Mongolian election have sparked rioting, deaths and the imposition by the president of a state of emergency.

The election results appear to have given the ruling MPRP 45 of the 72 seats in the legislature and 27 seats to the main opposition Democratic Party. Obviously this gives the MPRP an absolute majority and it is likely to end the problems of unstable government.

However, the opposition have denounced the election as rigged. After the election, demonstrators rioted. This was in response to the elections and also in the context of general claims of corruption. The MPRP’s office was set alight and five people were left dead in clashes with the police. There is now a curfew in Ulaanbaatar after President Enkhbayar declared a four-day state of emergency starting on 3 July.

Mongolia has a perfect +10 score for democracy according to Polity (last year 2006). Mongolia also has an almost perfect score of 1.5 from Freedom House (last year 2007).