Ethıopıa Electıons

epa02169528 A ballot paper is pictured at a polling station in central Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, 23 May 2010. Ethiopians went to the polls on 23 May to vote in the country's first national elections since 2005. According to the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), some 30 million people are expected totheir votes on 23 May to choose from more than 6,000 candidates from over 60 political parties registered.  Many observers predict an easy win for the ruling EPRDF led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi over main opposition coalition Medrek, who claim that its candidates are facing intimidation  and the election will be rigged by EPRDF who has tight control over state mediathe entire election process. According to a media report, Ana Gomes, a European Parliament member who headed the EU Electoral Observer Mission to Ethiopia in 2005, has expressed that she 'does not expect the elections to be democraticthose who monitor the polls will face pressure from Ethiopiathe European Union to write a favourable report'.  EPA/PHILIPP HEDEMANN