Was the political system of the Mongolian Empire parlamentary and, if so, how did it become parlamentary?

The governmental structure of the Mongolian Empire under
Genghis was indeed parliamentary, though non-democratic in that the member chiefs were
appointed based on extreme loyalty or bravery.  It was called the Kurultai
and consisted of the various Mongol chiefs who met with the Kahn to
discuss common issues, both foreign and domestic.   There were sort of "national"
Kurulati, which elected the "Great Kahn," and regional Kurultai, which elected regional
leaders.  The amount of autonomy these bodies possessed is debatable and dependent upon
the situation the Khans found themselves in.

Unlike a
modern parliament, the Kurultai also functioned as a war council in which goals and
strategies would be discussed.  Thus, its main job was to select new leaders and
strategize.  Less time was spent in lawmaking than in a modern
parliament.

The early mongols were very clannish and lived
over expanses of land.  They squabbled and fought in the same way the nobility of Europe
did.  The parliamentary system that developed was a way for these tribes to maintain
some unity of thought and action.  The power of such a body fluctuates greatly depending
on the attitudes of those in it and the strength of the individual clans.  When united,
such as during the later time of Genghis, it could function fairly well.  Under the rule
of weaker leaders it could lead to fragmentation.