Key words: Mongolia, President Elbegdorj, Russian-Mongolian relations M. I. GOLMAN Doctor of Historical Sciences On May 24, 2009, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, a candidate of the opposition Democratic Party (DP), won the regular presidential election in Mongolia for the first time. Almost a year has passed since then, which dispelled the myths about the new president as the leader of the "orange revolution" in Mongolia and his "pro-Western" foreign policy orientation. The myth that the fiercest political struggle during the 2008 elections to the country's parliament - the Great State Hural (VGH) - and the 2009 presidential campaign inevitably had to split the country and create permanent political instability has also been dispelled. IN TIMES OF CRISIS The presidential election campaign in Mongolia was characterized by an unusual intensity of passion and special nervousness. The reasons for this were the crisis that engulfed the country, including under the influence of the global economic downturn. This crisis caused an increase in commodity prices, a shortage of capital in the financial sector, an increase in unemployment, and stagnation in industrial1. Moreover, Mongolia has not yet fully recovered from the negative consequences of the dramatic events of July 1-5, 2008 and the long - lasting parliamentary crisis that followed.* Suffice it to say that up to the election day on May 24, 2009, the VGH was not fully operational due to the crisis, and many participants in the 2008 events were under arrest and investigation. Only the political parties represented in the VGH, namely the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), the PD, the Civil Will Party and the Green Party, were eligible to nominate candidates for the post of President. In the MPRP, after the governing council conducted interviews with all applicants, it was decided to nominate the incumbent President N. Enkhbayar. But the National Advisory Committee (NCC) of the Democratic Party considered the election ... Read more