Norovyn Altankhuyag

Altankhuyag was born in Ulaangom, the provincial capital of Uvs Province, on 20 January 1958.^[4][5] He attended Ulaangom's 1st secondary school from 1966 to 1976.^[2] Later in 1981, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in biophysics from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at the National University of Mongolia.^[5] After graduating, Altankhuyag was honored to remain a professor at the university. He worked as a professor of the Department of Biophysics at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics from 1981 to 1990.^[2]

During the 1990 Democratic Revolution, he was one of the pioneers in the pro-democracy youth movement against the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP). With his colleagues, he initiated the Democratic Socialist Movement. On 21 February 1990, the first meeting to establish the Mongolian Social Democratic Party (MSDP) was held. He was elected as a member of the party establishment commission, serving as party secretary from 1990 to 1992 and secretary general from 1994 to 1996.^[2] The MSDP formed the opposition Democratic Union Coalition with the Mongolian National Democratic Party for the upcoming elections in 1996.

As a member of the MSDP, Altankhuyag was elected from Songino Khairkhan district as a member of the State Great Khural (parliament) in 1996.^[5] The Democratic Union between the MSDP and MNDP secured a total of 50 seats, a historic landslide victory for the Mongolian opposition. Following the resignation of two prime ministers, Altankhuyag was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Industry by newly-appointed prime minister Janlavyn Narantsatsralt in 1998.^[2] He served in this role until 1999 when prime minister Narantsastralt resigned.^[5] He was later re-elected as the secretary general of the MSDP that same year.^[2]

In the 2000 parliamentary election, the MNDP and the MSDP, which ran independently, lost their majority to the MPRP. Altankhuyag was unseated by MPRP politician Nordovyn Bolormaa from his own constituency. The MNDP, the MSDP and three other parties merged to form the Democratic Party (DP) in December 2000.

Despite not holding a seat in 2004, Altankhuyag was appointed as Minister of Finance by Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, who led a coalition government between the DP and the MPRP.^[5] He served as finance minister from 2004 to 2006 when Elbegdorj's tenure was ended by the exitting of the MPRP.^[2]

In the 2008 parliamentary election, Altankhuyag was elected for the third time as member of parliament (MP).^[2] Following the party's controversial defeat in 2008, then-DP chairman Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj resigned and Altankhuyag was elected as the DP's new leader.^[5] During his leadership, the DP launched the "Mongolian People—2020" action plan to strengthen the values of democracy and civil society^[6] and entered a coalition government led by Sanjiin Bayar (MPRP). Altankhuyag became First Deputy Prime Minister and, for a day, served as acting prime minister when Bayar resigned due to health complications.^[5] He served as first deputy until January 2012 when the DP left to boost its electoral ratings.^[7]

Following the June 2012 legislative election, the DP secured 32 of the 76 seats in the State Great Khural, seven seats less than the majority threshold of 39 seats. Two seats were later gained in a re-election in 2012 and 2013. The State Great Khural appointed DP chairman Norovyn Altankhuyag as the 27th Prime Minister of Mongolia with 42 lawmakers voting in favour and 16 against on 9 August 2012.^[5]

Following lengthy negotiations with internal party factions and minor parties, the DP formed a coalition government, dubbed the "Reform Government" (Шинэчлэлийн Засгийн газар), with the Justice Coalition and the Civil Will–Green Party between 18-20 August 2012.^[7][8] With 19 ministers, Altankhuyag's cabinet consisted of 15 ministers from the DP, 4 from the Justice Coalition, and 1 from the CWGP. The first full cabinet meeting was held on 25 August 2012.^[7]

During the start of his tenure, economic growth was 13.7% thanks largely to Oyu Tolgoi deposit. However, the country's growth fell to 6.3% in 2014^[9] alongside a sharp decline in foreign direct investment.^[1]

As a result of no confidence vote by the parliament, Altankhuyag and his cabinet was dismissed on 5 November 2014.^[1][9][10] Of the 66 legislators present, 8 from his own party and 28 from other parties voted against Altankhuyag while 30 voted in support of him.^[9][10] Altankhuyag was immediately succeeded by his deputy, Dendeviin Terbishdagva,^[9][10] who served as acting prime minister for 16 days until the appointment of Chimediin Saikhanbileg.^[11]

Altankhuyag speaks Russian and English.^[2]

• Mongolia: Order of the Red Banner of Labour (2006)^[2]