Ukraine Rules That 'Darth Vader' Cannot Run For President

Ukraine's Central Election Commission (CEC) has rejected the presidential bid of Star Wars villain Darth Vader.

Activists from the Internet Party of Ukraine, dressed as Star Wars characters, hold a party congress in Kyiv. Photo: Reuters

This unusual candidate for the Ukrainian Internet Party (UIP) for May's election announced his intention to run flanked by supporters dressed as imperial stormtroopers.

"I alone can make an empire out of a republic, to restore former glories, to return lost territories and pride to this country," Vader said in a statement.

"Darth Vader", the leader of the Internet Party of Ukraine, looks at a child in a pram at a street market near the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission in Kyiv. Photo: Reuters

CEC rejected his application after it found irregularities in the data provided by the party. The Interior Ministry has reportedly opened a criminal case for data falsification.

Ukraine has ruled that 'Darth Vader' cannot run for president. Here he is buying meat in a Kiev market today pic.twitter.com/HJUQd8Ulp4
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) April 3, 2014

A CEC representative Igor Zhydenko advised Darth Vader to present his candidacy in Russia.

"A commander in chief will be welcome there as there are already little green men," he said.

Ukraine's early presidential election scheduled for May 25.
To recall, the former president Viktor Yanukovych has fled the country. Ukrainian authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest for alleged mass murder of nearly 100 protesters in Kyiv.