Now the government plans to sell the state airline and other major industries and turn over control of state radio and television to independent boards of governors. From the outset of its post-communist era, Mongolians were zealous reformers. The country of 2.4 million people won praise for quickly privatizing state companies and turning over millions of state-owned sheep and camels to families of nomadic herders. But then came years of scandal and of weak governments rising and falling rapidly, and in 1997 the ex-communists began their comeback with Bagabandi's election. But he quickly deadlocked with the old parliament.
Bagabandi supporters say they yearn for stability.
This is not totalitarian. In Mongolia's parliamentary system the prime minister runs the government but the president can veto legislation and Cabinet appointments, making his cooperation key to changing policy. Bagabandi's leading challenger, former parliament speaker Radnaasumbereliin Gonchigdorj of the Democratic Party, argues that the country needs an opposition president to counterbalance parliament. Gonchigdorj supporters accuse Bagabandi's party of indulging in its old communist habits, abusing its control of the government work force and state media to boost his campaign. Party leaders deny it and say the Democrats were just as bad.