38 Facts About Alexis Tsipras

Alexis Tsipras is the fourth prime minister who has governed in the course of the 2010s Greek government-debt crisis.

Alexis Tsipras joined the Communist Youth of Greece in the late 1980s and in the 1990s was politically active in student protests against education reform plans, becoming the movement's spokesperson.

Alexis Tsipras studied civil engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, graduating in 2000, and later undertook post-graduate studies in urban and regional planning.

Alexis Tsipras worked as a civil engineer in the construction industry, based primarily in Athens.

From 1999 to 2003, Alexis Tsipras served as the secretary of Synaspismos Youth.

Alexis Tsipras was elected as a member of the Central Committee of Synaspismos in 2004 and later the Political Secretariat.

Alexis Tsipras was first elected to the Hellenic Parliament representing Athens A in the 2009 election and was re-elected in May and June 2012, subsequently becoming Leader of the Opposition and appointing his own shadow cabinet.

In January 2015, Alexis Tsipras led Syriza to victory in a snap legislative election, winning 149 out of 300 seats in the Hellenic Parliament and forming a coalition with the Independent Greeks.

Alexis Tsipras's father, Pavlos, was from Athamania in Epirus and was a well-off public works contractor, while his mother, Aristi, was born in Eleftheroupoli, a town in Greek Macedonia.

Alexis Tsipras joined the Communist Youth of Greece in the late 1980s.

Alexis Tsipras rose to prominence as a representative of the student movement when he was featured as a guest on a television show hosted by journalist Anna Panagiotarea.

Alexis Tsipras studied civil engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, graduating in 2000, before undertaking postgraduate studies in Urban and Regional Planning following an inter-departmental MPhil at the School of Architecture of NTUA.

Alexis Tsipras wrote three studies and projects on the theme of the city of Athens.

Alexis Tsipras managed quite efficiently to maintain a strong adherence to the policy of the party, effectively out talking both the left and right political wings.

Alexis Tsipras won a seat on the Municipality of Athens council by virtue of him being first on the Syriza list.

Alexis Tsipras did not run for the Greek Parliament in the 2007 election, choosing to continue the completion his term as a member of the municipal council of Athens.

Alexis Tsipras was elected Leader of Synaspismos during its 5th Congress on 10 February 2008, after its previous Leader Alekos Alavanos decided not to stand for election again for personal reasons.

Alexis Tsipras became leader of Synaspismos at the age of 33, thus becoming the youngest leader of a Greek political party since 1931.

On March 2013 Alexis Tsipras visited Karamanlis Foundation.

Alexis Tsipras campaigned as the only candidate of the south periphery countries.

Alexis Tsipras declared a substantial change for a better future for all Europeans is visible within 10 years.

Alexis Tsipras addressed those who lost out in the fallout of the financial crises from 2008 to 2014, which produced unexpectedly high unemployment rates in most of the EU.

Alexis Tsipras led Syriza to victory in the general election held on 25 January 2015, falling short of an outright majority in Parliament by just two seats.

Alexis Tsipras explained that as an atheist who neither married in a religious ceremony nor baptised his children, he would not take a religious oath of office.

Alexis Tsipras, who is notable for never wearing ties, thanked Renzi and said that he would wear the gift in celebration when Greece had successfully renegotiated the austerity measures.

Alexis Tsipras concluded that there were at least two competing visions for the integration of Europe, both of which he seemed to reject, and that certain unnamed institutional actors had "an obsession" with their own technocratic programme.

On 27 June 2015, Alexis Tsipras announced a referendum to decide whether or not Greece should accept the bailout conditions proposed jointly by the Juncker Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank.

Alexis Tsipras told MPs they were facing a choice between "staying alive or suicide".

On 20 August 2015, Alexis Tsipras resigned from position of the Prime Minister of Greece due to the rebellion of MPs from his own party Syriza and called for a snap election.

Alexis Tsipras made the announcement in a televised state address.

In November 2015, Alexis Tsipras received an angry reception at a refugee camp in Lesbos by around a hundred protesters, wearing life jackets and brandishing placards calling on the European Union to stop deaths by allowing asylum seekers safe and legal passage to Europe.

In November 2015, Alexis Tsipras became the first Greek prime minister to visit Turkey's Aegean province of Izmir since the days of the Occupation of Smyrna, meeting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu; they agreed to cooperate on the refugee crisis and to establish technical cooperation between Greek and Turkish coast guards.

On 19 March 2016, Alexis Tsipras spoke at a conference of the "Alliance Against Austerity for Democracy in Europe" held in Athens.

Alexis Tsipras called for calm on the streets and defended the austerity package, saying it fell in line with the agreement reached with the EU the previous year.

In October 2017 Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras met with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, where Trump told Alexis Tsipras that he supported a "responsible debt relief" plan for Greece as they recovered from the economic crisis in the country.

On 12 June 2018, Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras announced that an agreement had been reached with his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev on the dispute, "which covers all the preconditions set by the Greek side".

Alexis Tsipras's registered partner is Peristera "Betty" Baziana, an electrical and computer engineer.

Alexis Tsipras has claimed to be a football fan and a supporter of Panathinaikos.