The Impact of Patronage-Based Appointments on Administrative Capacity in Mongolia

Political patronage—the allocation of government positions and resources based on political loyalty rather than merit—remains a persistent challenge for public administration worldwide. In the case of Mongolia, the civil service has been significantly influenced by patronage networks since the democratic transition in 1990, affecting institutional performance, social trust, and citizen engagement. This study examines the patterns, underlying causes, and consequences of political patronage in the Mongolian civil service through an analysis of official records, policy documents, and interviews with key stakeholders. Findings indicate that patronage-based appointments, particularly at senior levels, undermine professional norms, create instability within bureaucratic structures, weaken policy continuity, and erode public confidence in state institutions. On a societal level, such practices reinforce perceptions of inequality, restrict equitable access to public services, and contribute to growing public cynicism toward governance. Despite ongoing reforms aimed at fostering merit-based recruitment and enhancing transparency, entrenched informal networks and sustained political pressures continue to impede the professionalization of the Mongolian civil service.