Mongolia’s new president earned his nickname ‘Fist’ after punching a member of parliament
- Khurelsukh Ukhnaa has cultivated a macho persona, complete with photos of him posing shirtless with a hunting gun
- Landlocked Mongolia, wedged between China and Russia, has struggled with political instability since it became a democracy
Mongolia’s new president-elect Khurelsukh Ukhnaa is a macho character who has been photographed topless on horseback Putin-style, and became known as “Fist” after punching a parliamentarian.
The former prime minister won nearly 70 per cent of the vote in the presidential election, preliminary results showed on Thursday, with historically low voter turnout for the third election in two years.
The country went to the polls on Wednesday to replace populist businessman Battulga Khaltmaa – a former world champion on the martial art of sambo who cannot run for a second presidential term under constitutional rules.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank my fellow Mongolians,” he said.
Enkhbat Dangaasuren, his main rival, woin about one-fifth of the votes and conceded defeat. An official announcement of the results is expected Thursday afternoon, according to Mongolia’s state news agency.
