A New Hope for Ukraine? Darth Vader aims for electoral success

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The usual politician's gambit of canvassing young children appeared not to have paid off for Comrade Vader. Credit: Reuters

Ukraine's curiously named Internet Party has come up with an offbeat campaign gimmick to lure voters - dressing as Star Wars characters.

Darth Vader and some accompanying stormtroopers have been taking to the streets of the capital Kiev in a series of publicity stunts for the UIP.

The country goes to the polls in parliamentary elections on October 26th

His campaign message seems to play on Ukraine's fears of losing territory to pro-Russian separatists.

"I alone can make an empire out of a republic, to restore former glory, to return lost territories and pride for this country," the Guardian reports Vader saying in a party statement.

Party leader Dmitriy Golubov was right behind the Sith Lord's selection, saying: "After winning intra-party primaries by a landslide, comrade Vader will be our party's candidate."

This was not a decision taken lightly, given that registering Vader as a candidate cost the equivalent of just short of £140,000.

The Internet Party added a pyrotechnic element to its campaigning. Credit: Reuters

The party's official website is also surprisingly straight-laced, for the most part.

It describes one of UIP's political aims as "creating effective mechanisms of delivering state services".

For the most part this appears to mean delivering as many government services through the internet as possible and ensuring closer scrutiny of those in power.