Civil Will–Green Party

The Civil Will–Green Party (Mongolian: Иргэний Зориг Ногоон Нам, romanized: Irgeniy Zorig Nogoon Nam^[a], abbreviated ИЗНН or IZNN) is a green liberal political party in Mongolia.^[2] It was founded in 2012 with the 2011 merger of the Civil Will Party and the Green Party.^[3]

The Civil Will Party was established on March 9, 2000, with Sanjaasürengiin Oyun as chairwoman and E. Narmandakh as general secretary. The party's name in Mongolian is a reference to the name of Oyun's murdered brother Sanjaasürengiin Zorig, one of the leaders of the 1990 democratic movement. His name literally meaning "Will" or "Courage".

In the 2000 parliamentary election, the Civil Will Party entered a coalition with the Green Party, and won its first seat in the State Great Khural. Before the 2008 parliamentary election, the Mongolian National Unity Party (Mongolian: Монголын Үндэсний Эв Нэгдлийн Нам) merged with the Civil Will Party. In the ensuing elections in June 2008, the party won one of the 76 seats in the State Great Khural, while receiving 1.97% of the popular vote.^[4]

In 2011, the Civil Will Party and the Green Party decided to merge into the Civil Will–Green Party during its 7th Congress. Following the merger, the party had two members in the State Great Khural: party chairman Dangaasürengiin Enkhbat^[3] and first deputy chairwoman Sanjaasürengiin Oyun. E. Zorigt worked as the Adviser of Nature and the Environment Affairs to the President.^[4]

During the 8th Congress of the Civil Will Party conducted on 28 January 2012, the party changed its name to the Civil Will–Green Party, and approved the decision to have up to three chairpersons, and to adopt a new flag and symbol. Dangaasuürengiin Enkhbat, Sanjaasürengiin Oyun, and Sambuugiin Dembrel were elected as the party's three chairpersons.^[5]

The party merger was opposed by many Green Party members, with some people blocking the application to the Supreme Court for over six months.^[6] The changes were finally submitted to the Supreme Court, which were then approved on 12 March 2012.^[7]

In the 2012 parliamentary election, the IZNN obtained two seats in parliament and became a part of the Government for Reform, led by the Democratic Party. Party chairman Enkhbat did not run for re-election in 2012. The long-time standing leader and party chairwoman Oyun served as Minister for Green Development and Environment. Mr. Tumenjargal, head of the youth organisation, served as Deputy Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism. In addition, the party obtained its very first seat in the Citizens' Representatives Khural of the Capital City during the 2012 capital elections, which were held along withh the parliamentary election.^[8]

Prior to the 2016 parliamentary election in May, Enkhbat would be excused of his position as party chairman during a party conference and Tserendorjiin Gankhuyag was nominated as his replacement.^[9][10] The party did not win any seats in the State Great Khural. In 2018, both Oyun and Demberel submitted their letters of resignation as party chairperson, leaving Gankhuyag the sole-party leader.^[11]

For the 2020 parliamentary election, the IZNN decided to run together with the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party and the Mongolian Traditional United Party as the Our Coalition. The coalition won a single seat in the State Great Khural, but this seat was won by MPRP member Sainkhüügiin Ganbaatar. The coalition dissolved in April 2021, when the MPRP merged with the Mongolian People's Party (MPP).

In June 2023, Batyn Batbaatar succeeded Gankhuyag as the next party chairman.^[12] The IZNN would win 4 out of 126 seats by proportional representation in the now-expanded State Great Khural, during the 2024 parliamentary election.^[13]

After the collapse of the Oyun-Erdene government and the expulsion of the Democratic Party from the coalition government during the 2025 protests, the IZNN and the HUN Party were invited to form another coalition government with the ruling MPP at its head. The IZNN has been a part of the Zandanshatar government since June 2025.^[14]

• Official Website