Konstantine Gamsakhurdia (politician)
Encyclopedia
Konstantine "Koko" Gamsakhurdia (born June 24, 1961) is a Georgian
politician
and an Iranist
. He is the leader of the political party
Tavisupleba.
and grew up in Tbilisi
. He is a namesake of his paternal grandfather, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
, the leading 20th-century Georgian novelist. After the 1991-92 coup d'état
against his father and the legitimate government he fled with his family to Switzerland
. He lived in Dornach
and worked as a translator and as a freelancer
for several newspapers.
In 2004 Gamsakhurdia returned to Georgia for the first time in twelve years and began his work as a politician. He has been part of the opposition to Mikheil Saakashvili
's government since then and founded the Tavisupleba ("Freedom") party. He was elected to the Parliament of Georgia
on May 21, 2008 parliamentary elections, but refused, together with several opposition politicians, to take the seat, claiming that the polls were rigged. He was allowed to regain the seat and joined the Parliament in November 2009, becoming a chair of the parliamentary commission investigating the death of the late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
Gamsakhurdia is married and has two sons.
Contributions
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and an Iranist
Iranian Studies
Iranian studies , is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of history, literature, art and culture of the Iranian people. It is a part of the wider field of Oriental studies....
. He is the leader of the political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
Tavisupleba.
Biography
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia is the only son from the first marriage of Zviad GamsakhurdiaZviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
and grew up in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
. He is a namesake of his paternal grandfather, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia was a Georgian writer and public figure, who, along with Mikheil Javakhishvili, is considered to be one of the most influential Georgian novelists of the 20th century...
, the leading 20th-century Georgian novelist. After the 1991-92 coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against his father and the legitimate government he fled with his family to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He lived in Dornach
Dornach
Dornach is a municipality in the district of Dorneck in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-History:Dornach is first mentioned in 1223 as de Tornacho. In 1307 it was mentioned as zu Dornach...
and worked as a translator and as a freelancer
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
for several newspapers.
In 2004 Gamsakhurdia returned to Georgia for the first time in twelve years and began his work as a politician. He has been part of the opposition to Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
's government since then and founded the Tavisupleba ("Freedom") party. He was elected to the Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
on May 21, 2008 parliamentary elections, but refused, together with several opposition politicians, to take the seat, claiming that the polls were rigged. He was allowed to regain the seat and joined the Parliament in November 2009, becoming a chair of the parliamentary commission investigating the death of the late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
Gamsakhurdia is married and has two sons.
Publications (selection)
- Zviad GamsakhurdiaZviad GamsakhurdiaZviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
. Dissident - Präsident - Märtyrer, Basel 1995, Perseus-Verlag, ISBN 3-907564-19-7
Contributions
- Beiträge zur Geschichte der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Part 2, Edeltraud Krüger, Berlin (East) 1982