Mongolians in 2016 resisted populism, streamed to the polls, and ensured a change in government. Populist candidates were soundly defeated, surprising in the context of a dire economic situation and a crushing public debt that left the new government almost no room for legislative initiatives.

In 2015, Mongolia continued to realize some of its significant economic and democratic potential. At the same time, it faced notable economic hurdles, some of its own making and some created externally in its tough immediate neighborhood.