Khaltmaagiin Battulga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Халтмаагийн Баттулга
Battulga in 2019
5th President of Mongolia
In office 10 July 2017 – 25 June 2021
Prime Minister	Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene
Preceded by	Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj
Succeeded by	Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh
Member of the State Great Khural
In office 2004–2008
Constituency	Bayankhongor Province
In office 2008–2012
Constituency	Bayankhongor Province
In office 2012–2016
Constituency	Bayankhongor Province
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 July 2024
Constituency	4th, Bulgan, Khövsgöl, Orkhon Provinces
Minister of Industry and Agriculture
In office 2012–2014
Prime Minister	Norovyn Altankhuyag
Preceded by	Post established
Succeeded by	Sharavdorjiin Tüvdendorj
Minister of Road, Transport, Construction and Urban development
In office 2008–2012
Prime Minister	Sanjaagiin Bayar Sükhbaataryn Batbold
Preceded by	Tserendashiin Tsolmon
Succeeded by	Tsedeviin Dashdorj
Chairman of Steering committee of the Mongolian Democratic Union
In office 2006–2017
President of the Mongolian Judo Association
In office 2006–2017
Personal details
Born	(1963-03-03) 3 March 1963 (age 62) Ulaanbaatar, Mongolian People's Republic
Political party	Democratic Party
Alma mater	School of Fine Arts of Mongolia
Khaltmaagiin Battulga Medal record Representing  Mongolia Men's Sambo World Championships Gold 1983 Kiev –52 kg Silver 1986 Saint-Jean-de-Luz –52 kg Bronze 1988 Montreal –57 kg Silver 1990 Moscow –57 kg Friendship Games Silver 1984 Ulaanbaatar –57 kg World Cup Silver 1987 Rabat –52 kg Silver 1988 Tokyo –52 kg Gold 1989 Ulaanbaatar –52 kg

Khaltmaagiin Battulga (born March 3, 1963) is a Mongolian politician and former sambo wrestler. He was the 5th President of Mongolia from 2017 to 2021. Before becoming president, he was a member of the State Great Khural (Mongolia's parliament) and a government minister.

Battulga was a champion in sambo wrestling. He was the candidate for the Democratic Party in the 2017 Mongolian presidential election. He won the election in a special second round of voting. This was the first time a run-off election happened in modern Mongolian history.

Early Life and Career

Battulga was born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on March 3, 1963. He is the second of three children. His parents came from Bayankhongor Province. In 1966, his family lost their home in a flood. They were given a traditional Mongolian ger in Ulaanbaatar.

He finished secondary school in Ulaanbaatar in 1978. In 1982, he graduated from the School of Fine Arts of Mongolia. He studied painting there. While he was a student, Battulga sold his paintings to tourists.

Starting a Business

In 1990, Battulga began a business. He sewed and sold jeans in Mongolia and Hungary. He saved money to buy a video camera. Then, he started importing and exporting electronics. He traded goods from Singapore to Mongolia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.

Battulga named his first company Genco. This name came from the movie The Godfather. His company, Genco, later bought parts of state-owned businesses. These included the Bayangol Hotel and a meat-processing factory.

Wrestling Achievements

Battulga grew up with Mongolian traditional wrestling. His father, Khaltmaa, was a wrestling coach. Battulga was part of the Mongolian National wrestling team from 1983 to 1990. He won the world cup championship in Ulaanbaatar in 1989.

In 1995, he was recognized as a Merited Sportsman of Mongolia. He became the Chairman of the Mongolian Judo Federation in 2006. Under his leadership, Mongolian judokas won Olympic championships for the first time.

Political Journey

Battulga with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

In 2004, Battulga became a Member of Parliament. He represented Bayankhongor Province. He was re-elected to parliament in 2008, 2012, and 2024.

From 2008 to 2012, he served as the Minister of Roads and Transport. In 2012, he was appointed Minister of Industry and Agriculture.

Presidential Election

Mongolia held its presidential elections on June 26, 2017. The previous president could not run again. Battulga ran as the candidate for the Democratic Party. He competed against former Prime Minister Miyeegombyn Enkhbold.

For the first time in Mongolia, no candidate won more than half the votes in the first round. This led to a second round of voting, called a run-off. Battulga won this run-off election on July 7. He received 50.61% of the votes.

His election slogan was "Монгол Ялна," which means "Mongolia Will Win." This slogan inspired a movement called "Moya." Moya activists are a group of people who care deeply about Mongolia. They often do not trust the traditional political system.

Vladimir Putin and Battulga Khaltmaa in Vladivostok.

Battulga with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C..

Presidency (2017–2021)

Becoming President

Battulga officially became president on July 10, 2017. The ceremony took place at the State Palace. He spoke about his plans for Mongolia. He wanted to help the country's industries grow. He also promised to keep good relationships with Russia and China. He also focused on Mongolia's "third neighbor policy" with countries like the United States.

After the ceremony, he honored important Mongolian figures. He laid wreaths at monuments to Damdin Sükhbaatar and Chinggis Khaan. He also received symbols of his office, like the state stamp.

During his presidency, Battulga encouraged people to place their hand on their heart. This happens when the national anthem of Mongolia is played.

Domestic Policies

Justice and Safety

In October 2017, Battulga formed a group of experts. They looked into ways to improve justice and safety in Mongolia. He believed that social problems were causing national challenges.

Changes to the Constitution

In March 2019, a discussion about the constitution began. A new law was passed that gave the National Security Council more power. This law allowed them to suggest removing judges and prosecutors. Some people felt this law might weaken the balance of power in the government.

In April 2021, Battulga issued a special order. He wanted to stop the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) from operating. This was after the MPP changed the constitution. These changes limited the presidency to one term. This meant Battulga could not run for president again in 2021.

Foreign Relations

East Asia Relations

Battulga is seen as a leader who likes Russia. He speaks Russian and has ties to the country. People often compare him to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is because both leaders enjoy judo. When they met in 2017, Putin said their shared sport would help them work well together.

Battulga has also talked about Mongolia's economy. He has said that Mongolia relies too much on China.

In June 2018, Battulga congratulated leaders from North Korea and the U.S. after their meeting in Singapore. He said the meeting was important for the region. He later invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to visit Ulaanbaatar. This was to celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations.

Other International Relations

In March 2018, Battulga asked U.S. President Trump for more trade. He said that economic problems could make Mongolia unstable. He called Mongolia an "oasis of democracy." He believed U.S. trade could help keep democracy strong in the region.

In June 2019, Battulga visited Kyrgyzstan. While there, he opened the Mongolian Embassy in Bishkek.

International Trips as President

List of foreign visits by Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Date	Country	City	Type of visit/Reason for visit
29 August–1 September 2017	Hungary	Budapest	2017 World Judo Championships
4–7 September 2017	Russia	Vladivostok	Eastern Economic Forum
9–10 June 2018	China	Qingdao	Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
11–13 September 2018	Russia	Vladivostok	Eastern Economic Forum
24 September 2018	Azerbaijan	Baku	Working visit
18–19 October 2018	Belgium	Brussels	12th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit
22–26 October 2018	Switzerland	Geneva	2018 World Investment Forum
24–28 April 2019	China	Beijing	State visit
12–14 June 2019	Kyrgyzstan	Bishkek	State visit
30 July–1 August 2019	United States	Washington, D.C.	State visit
4–5 September 2019	Russia	Vladivostok	Eastern Economic Forum
18–23 September 2019	India	New Delhi	State visit
19 January 2020	Switzerland	Davos	World Economic Forum
27 January 2020	Norway	Oslo	Working visit
27 February 2020	China	Beijing	State visit

Personal Life

Khaltmaagiin Battulga lives with Angelique Davain. She is from Russia and also from Khentii Province. His legal wife, Ts. Enkhtuya, was the director of the Nüüdelchin Company. He has two sets of twin sons and one daughter. Besides Mongolian, he speaks Russian and English.

John Bolton wrote in his book that Battulga's son served in Afghanistan. He was part of a multinational force led by the U.S.

Presidential Residence

In 2017, Battulga said he wanted to live in the "Winter Palace." This building is also known as the Marshal’s Residence. It is in central Ulaanbaatar. This was a change from past presidents. The building was once the home of Marshal Khorloogiin Choibalsan. It is close to the State House. Battulga wanted to live there so he could walk to work.

Contributions to Society

Battulga helped fund the building of the Chingis Khan Equestrian Statue. This large statue is near Ulaanbaatar. It celebrates Mongolian national pride. The statue has become a popular place for tourists to visit.

He is also the President of the Mongolian Judo Association. Under his leadership, Mongolian judoka Tuvshinbayar Naidan became an Olympic judo champion in 2008. Because of this, judo has become a very popular sport in Mongolia.

Images for kids

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  Battulga in 2019

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  Battulga with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

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  Vladimir Putin and Battulga Khaltmaa in Vladivostok.

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  Battulga with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C.

See also

In Spanish: Khaltmaagiin Battulga para niños