IRI Mongolia Poll Shows Economic Concerns, Negative Views on Media Freedom, Strong Desire for Democracy www.iri.org
A newly-released poll by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows Mongolians have concerns over the economy and negative views on media freedom in the country but highlights strong support for democratic governance.
When asked about the most important problems facing the country today, 61% say the cost of living, high prices, and unemployment. This finding is in line with previous IRI polling in Mongolia, which has consistently shown economy-related issues as the primary challenge and problem facing the country.
“It’s been pretty consistent that the majority of Mongolians are not thrilled with the current state of the economy,” said Adam King, Director for East Asia and the Pacific at IRI. “More will need to be done by government officials to lower the cost of living and create more opportunities for good paying jobs if public sentiment on the economy is going to change.”
When asked to describe the current status of media freedom in Mongolia, a majority of 53% say that it’s “somewhat bad” or “very bad.” Additionally, 56% believe that the media in Mongolia lacks the freedom to independently report on any issue.
The survey also found that 68% of Mongolians believe that democracy is the best form of government.
“Our research shows that people do not believe the media is free in Mongolia,” said King. “More independence will encourage trust in a free press, which is an important institution in any democratic system. Despite the current concern over the media environment, it is reassuring that over two-thirds of Mongolians believe that democracy is the best form of government.”
Published Date:2025-01-17