Levan Gachechiladze, a prominent Georgian politician and former presidential candidate, has died at the age of 61, his family confirmed.

Gachechiladze began his political career in 1999 as a member of Parliament representing the “Citizens’ Union of Georgia.” He later co-founded the New Rights party and served in the fifth, sixth, and briefly the seventh convocations of Parliament.

He was elected to the Tbilisi City Council in 2002 and served as a majoritarian MP for Vake from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, Gachechiladze ran for president as the United Opposition’s candidate.