Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj (Mongolian: Цахиагийн Элбэгдорж; born 8 March 1963), known internationally as Elbegdorj Tsakhia, is a Mongolian politician and journalist who served as the president of Mongolia from 2009 to 2017. He previously served as prime minister in 1998 and again from 2004 to 2006. Elbegdorj was one of the key leaders of the 1990 Mongolian democratic revolution that ended 70 years of communist rule in Mongolia, and co-drafted the country's 1992 constitution that guaranteed democracy and a free market economy. Elbegdorj has been labeled by his supporters as a "freedom fighter" and the "Golden Sparrow of Democracy", alluding to a bird that comes with spring sunshine after a long, harsh winter. Currently, Elbegdorj is a member of The Elders – established by Nelson Mandela in 2007 – that works for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet. Moreover, he is a member of Club de Madrid which commits to advancing democracy worldwide. In addition, Elbegdorj is a commissioner of International Commission Against Death Penalty. Furthermore, he is a vice chairman of International Democracy Union -an international alliance of centre right political parties. Elbegdorj is a patron of World Sustainable Development Forum. He is the Bernard and Susan Liautaud visiting fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Elbegdorj is a president of World Mongol Federation - an international federation of Mongols around the world. His tenure has focused on fighting corruption, environmental protection, women's rights, judicial reform, civic engagement, economic liberalization and privatization, property rights, and the abolition of the death penalty. Elbegdorj is the founder of the Ardchilal (English: Democracy) newspaper – the country's first independent newspaper – and helped to establish the first independent television station in Mongolia.