The arrest of ex-President of Mongolia N. Enkhbayar in 2012, on the eve of the parliamentary elections, stirred up the whole country and became one of the main events in the political life of the Mongolian state. Estimates of this event were divided. Some see it as a clear example of the fight against corruption, showing that Mongolia is confidently moving along a democratic path of development. Others believe that the country is sliding into authoritarianism. The author shows that Mongolia, which has become a vivid example of successful democratization in the post-socialist space in Asia over the past twenty years, is at risk. The country's focus on the extraction and sale of mineral resources, the pressure of neighboring states and the interests of multinational companies can lead to an aggravation of the internal political struggle, an increase in corruption and the degradation of the state apparatus, which can lead to the coming to power of an authoritarian leader and a change in the trajectory of Mongolia's political development. Keywords: Mongolia, democracy, democratization, Enkhbayar, resources, politics, authoritarianism. On April 13, 2012, the former President of Mongolia and leader of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP)was arrested on corruption charges Намбарын Энхбаяр. The very fact of the arrest, the irregularities in its conduct, as well as the fact that the arrest took place shortly before the elections to the Mongolian parliament, caused a heated discussion in Mongolian society and caused a serious international outcry. Two main versions of what happened were announced. According to the first one, the ex-president was arrested quite rightly, since the scale of corruption during his rule reached unprecedented proportions, the abuses of which he was accused actually took place, and the very fact of his arrest is a clear indication that Mongolia is confidently moving along the path of democratic development (for more information, see [Jar ... Read more