Mongolia PM resigns after son's luxury holiday stirs public fury

Mongolia's prime minister has resigned after social media photos of his son's lavish lifestyle sparked an anti-corruption investigation and weeks of mass protests, the BBC reported. 

Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, who has denied wrongdoing, lost a confidence vote in parliament on Tuesday, the BBC reported. 

The viral photos purport to show Oyun-Erdene's son and the son's girlfriend flaunting a black Dior shoulder bag and several shopping bags while on their engagement holiday, according to the BBC. 

Protesters questioned how Oyun-Erdene's family could afford such luxurious living. Local media reported that the country's anti-corruption body had been looking into their finances.

During Tuesday's confidence vote, 44 of the 88 lawmakers who took part in the secret ballot voted for Oyun-Erdene, while 38 others voted against him, the BBC reported. He needed the support of at least 64 of parliament's 126 members.

"It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs," he said after the vote, according to the BBC. 

Hundreds of protesters, many of them young people, had been taking to the streets for two weeks before the vote, demanding Oyun-Erdene's resignation. 

Oyun-Erdene has rejected allegations of corruption, accusing critics of launching a smear campaign against him.