'Star Wars' villain Emperor Palpatine wins seat on Ukrainian city council

ODESSA, Ukraine, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A man running for a Ukrainian city council seat under the name of Emperor Palpatine, the villain from the Star Wars films, won with more than 54 percent of votes.

Aleksandr Borovik, 25, who used the Sith Lord's name and costume in his campaign for the Odessa city council, was one of nearly 50 candidates in the election to use names taken from the Star Wars films.

Borovik, who identified himself as holding the position of "emperor" for "LLC Palpatine Finance Group," won more than 54 percent of votes for his seat.

Odessa has recently seen a surge in Star Wars-related news after a statue of Vladimir Lenin was transformed into Darth Vader last week, and a man in a Chewbacca costume was arrested while campaigning for city council candidate Darth Vader.

The emperor's election was decried by mayoral candidate Sasha Borovik in a Facebook post.

"I can't understand, but all the same respect, the choice of those who voted for the current government," he wrote. "We all have our own choices ... but it's above my understanding. People, what's wrong with you?"