The Mongolian “SMS referendum” called by Mongolia’s new Prime Minister Mr Saikhanbileg Chimed showed that voters have voted in favor of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine expansion instead of austerity, according to results announced on Wednesday February 4.

The four-day text message national referendum saw 56 per cent of respondents support increased overseas investment in megaprojects, such as the foreign-backed Oyu Tolgoi mine that could stimulate the troubled economy, the government said. The SMS poll may point to a future model for global democracy, with citizens being able to respond instantly on specific policy issues. Text messages were sent to about 3.31 million mobile phones, more than Mongolia’s 3 million population. The poll was the first nationwide one of its kind in Mongolia, after local votes on driving restrictions in the traffic-congested capital of Ulan Bator.