Levan Gachechiladze
Encyclopedia
Levan Gachechiladze (born 20 July 1964) is a Georgian
politician
and businessman who ran as the main oppositional candidate in the 5 January
Georgian presidential election, 2008
.
, the city where he was born. He was educated at Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili
State University
where he read mathematics
and economics
.
He is married, with three children.
His brother is the Georgian rap star Giorgi Gachechiladze, known as Utsnobi (literally: "unknown" or "stranger").
in 1999, as one of a group of 'New Faces'. In September 2000 he co-founded the 'New Faction', a group led by David Gamkrelidze
. In June 2001, when the New Faction was absorbed into a new group called the 'New Conservative Party of Georgia' (NCP), Gachechiladze became chairman of the new group.
Gachechiladze had previously served as chairman of the Economic Reform Committee.
Gachechiladze was involved in the demonstrations
held in Tbilisi in November 2007. He was one of four activists who began a hunger strike to demand early parliamentary elections. He was also injured during the protests.
. His candidacy is supported by the 'National Council', a coalition of some ten opposition parties:
The Georgian Labour Party
was also a member of the coalition, but did not support Gachechiladze's candidacy, eventually nominating its leader Shalva Natelashvili.
On 5 January 2008 the Georgian presidential election was held nationwide with the exception of highland village Shatili
, where the polling station
was not opened due to a heavy snowstorm. The earliest exit polls, carried out by the group of non-governmental organisations and mass-media, suggested the victory of Mikheil Saakashvili
with more than half of all the votes (52.5%), securing a full victory to Saakashvili, in turn, avoiding the need for the second run-off. Later results of archevnebi.ge showed Saakashvili had won with 53.5% whereas another source, ukMSN, stated Saakashvili had gathered 53.8% of the votes. The exit polls of all different sources reported Saakashvili's victory. Georgian opposition criticised the exit polls declaring they were biased towards the former president. The central election commission announced that Saakaashvili had won 52.8% of votes cast on Saturday, almost 2 times his opponent, 43-year-old wine producer Levan Gachechiladze, with 27%.
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 businessman who ran as the main oppositional candidate in the 5 January
Electoral calendar 2008
This electoral calendar 2008 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2008 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, even though they are not elections...
Georgian presidential election, 2008
Georgian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Georgia on January 5, 2008, having been brought forward by President Mikheil Saakashvili after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations from the original date in autumn 2008....
.
Life and family
Gachechiladze currently lives in TbilisiTbilisi
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...
, the city where he was born. He was educated at Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili
Ivane Javakhishvili
Ivane Javakhishvili was a Georgian historian whose voluminous works heavily influenced the modern scholarship of the history and culture of Georgia...
State University
Tbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University , better known as Tbilisi State University , is a university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. TSU is the oldest university in the whole Caucasus region...
where he read mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
He is married, with three children.
His brother is the Georgian rap star Giorgi Gachechiladze, known as Utsnobi (literally: "unknown" or "stranger").
Business activities
Gachechiladze is a successful businessman, whose personal wealth is estimated to be $USD10 million. His principal business is running the Georgian Wine and Spirits Company, which he founded in 1994. In 1999 Gachechiladze was named Businessman of the Year and his company was named Company of the Year.Political career
Gachechiladze is a member of parliament, representing Tbilisi electoral district 2. He joined the conservative New Right PartyNew Right (Georgia)
The New Rights Party of Georgia , also translated as New Conservative Party is a liberal conservative party in Georgia...
in 1999, as one of a group of 'New Faces'. In September 2000 he co-founded the 'New Faction', a group led by David Gamkrelidze
David Gamkrelidze
David Gamkrelidze or Davit Gamqrelidze , is a Georgian politician, Leader of the New Rights Party of Georgia, Member of Parliament since 1999, Member of Committee for Defense and Security, Chairman of the Centre-Right Opposition Group in the Parliament of Georgia...
. In June 2001, when the New Faction was absorbed into a new group called the 'New Conservative Party of Georgia' (NCP), Gachechiladze became chairman of the new group.
Gachechiladze had previously served as chairman of the Economic Reform Committee.
Gachechiladze was involved in the demonstrations
2007 Georgian demonstrations
The 2007 Georgian demonstrations were a series of anti-government protests in Georgia. The demonstrations peaked on November 2, 2007, when 50,000-100,000 rallied in downtown Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. People protested against the allegedly corrupt government of president Mikheil Saakashvili...
held in Tbilisi in November 2007. He was one of four activists who began a hunger strike to demand early parliamentary elections. He was also injured during the protests.
Candidacy in 2008 presidential elections
On 12 November 2007 Gachechiladze was named as a candidate for the January 2008 Georgian presidential electionGeorgian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Georgia on January 5, 2008, having been brought forward by President Mikheil Saakashvili after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations from the original date in autumn 2008....
. His candidacy is supported by the 'National Council', a coalition of some ten opposition parties:
- Republican Party
- Conservative Party of GeorgiaConservative Party of GeorgiaThe Conservatives Party of Georgia is a centre-right and nationalist political party, active in Georgia since 2001.Currently led by its acting chairman Zviad Dzidziguri, the party had been allied with Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement until May 2004 when it switched into opposition...
- Georgia's WayGeorgia's WayGeorgia's Way is a political party in Georgia. It was registered on March 11, 2006. The chairman of the party was former Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili, who was sacked by Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in October 2005. On November 12, 2010 Zourabichvili announced her resignation...
- People's FrontPeople's Front (Georgia)People's Front is a non-Marxist political organization in the Republic of Georgia. This party was founded in 1989, in Tbilisi. Chairman of the organization is a noted Georgian scholar, Professor Nodar Natadze....
- Freedom Movement
- Movement for United GeorgiaMovement for United GeorgiaThe Movement for United Georgia is a Georgian political party founded by former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili on 27 September 2007. It is opposed to the current President Mikheil Saakashvili's supposed trend towards authoritarianism...
- National Forum
- Kartuli Dasi
- Ourselves
The Georgian Labour Party
Georgian Labour Party
The Georgian Labour Party is a political party in Georgia. The party is led by its founder Shalva Natelashvili.Its main goal is to make Georgia a democratic country and eventually to become a member of the European Union...
was also a member of the coalition, but did not support Gachechiladze's candidacy, eventually nominating its leader Shalva Natelashvili.
On 5 January 2008 the Georgian presidential election was held nationwide with the exception of highland village Shatili
Shatili
Shatili is a historic highland village in Georgia, near the border with Chechnya. It is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountains, in the historical Georgian province of Upper Khevsureti, which is now part of the modern-day region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti.-Geography:Located in...
, where the polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
was not opened due to a heavy snowstorm. The earliest exit polls, carried out by the group of non-governmental organisations and mass-media, suggested the victory of 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...
with more than half of all the votes (52.5%), securing a full victory to Saakashvili, in turn, avoiding the need for the second run-off. Later results of archevnebi.ge showed Saakashvili had won with 53.5% whereas another source, ukMSN, stated Saakashvili had gathered 53.8% of the votes. The exit polls of all different sources reported Saakashvili's victory. Georgian opposition criticised the exit polls declaring they were biased towards the former president. The central election commission announced that Saakaashvili had won 52.8% of votes cast on Saturday, almost 2 times his opponent, 43-year-old wine producer Levan Gachechiladze, with 27%.