A Ukrainian votes at a polling station in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, 30 Sept. 2007

Voters in Ukraine are choosing a new parliament Sunday, in early elections aimed at ending months of political gridlock.

Western-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko called the election in an attempt to end a months-long power struggle with pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.  

The president has been sharing power with his rival in a tense alliance that has seen the prime minister's party gain significant legislative strength this year.

Pre-election polls showed the prime minister's bloc was likely to win the largest share of votes -- but not enough to gain an outright parliamentary majority.  The president is hoping to form a coalition between his party and that of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Boys play in front of an election poster of President Viktor Yushchenko, 27 Sep 2007

More than 3,000 election observers from 17 countries are in Ukraine to monitor the vote.  At least 50 percent of the country's 37 million eligible voters must cast ballots for the election to be valid.

Ahead of the polls, Mr. Yushchenko said voters face a choice between political chaos and and a better future.

In the so-called Orange Revolution of 2004, huge public protests forced Mr. Yanukovych to agree to a rerun of a flawed presidential election in which he defeated Mr. Yushchenko.  Mr. Yanukovych lost the second election, but returned as prime minister in 2006, after his party won the most votes in the last parliamentary election.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.