Alexis Tsipras
Encyclopedia
Alexis Tsipras (born 28 July 1974) is a Greek left wing politician
, member of the Hellenic parliament
, president of the Synaspismos political party and head of SYRIZA parliamentary group.
He studied civil engineering
at the National Technical University of Athens
. After his graduation in 2000, he made post graduate studies on land surveying and planning following an inter-departmental programme of NTUA. Along-side his postgraduate studies he began working as a civil engineer
in the construction industry. He wrote several studies and projects on the theme of the city of Athens.
in the late 80s. In the early 90s, he was politically active in the pupil uprising against the controversial law of then minister Vasilis Kontogiannopoulos, as a student of Ampelokipoi Branch High School. He rose to prominence as a representative of the pupil movement when he was featured as a guest at a show hosted by journalist Anna Panagiotarea. During an interview, the journalist implied that Tsipras was being disingenuous in defending middle and high school students' right to absenteeism without parental notification.
As a university student he joined the ranks of the renovative left
movement and was member of the executive board of the Students' union
of the Civil Engineering School of NTUA and also served as student representative at the University Senate. From 1995 to 1997 he was elected member of the Central Council of the National Students Union of Greece (EFEE).
from Synaspismos, Tsipras remained in the party. He was the first person ever to hold the leading position (political secretary) of the youth wing of Synaspismos Neolaia Syn, from May 1999 to November 2003, and was suceeeded by Tasos Koronakis. He managed quite efficiently to maintain a strong adherence to the policy of the party, effectively outvoicing political deviants to the left and the right. As secretary of the Synaspismos Youth he took active part in the process of creation of the Greek Social Forum and attended all the international protests and marches against neoliberal globalization. In December 2004, at the 4th Congress of Synaspismos, he was elected a member of the party's Central Political Committee and consequently to the Political Secretariat, where he was responsible for educational and youth issues.
Tsipras first entered the limelight of mainstream Greek politics during the 2006 local election
when he ran for the municipality of Athens under the "Anoihti Poli" (Greek: Ανοιχτή Πόλη, "Open Town") SYRIZA ticket that gained 10.51% of the Athenian vote. He did not run for membership to the Hellenic parliament
(Vouli) in the 2007 legislative election, choosing to continue to serve his term as a member of the municipal council of Athens.
He was elected chairman of Synaspismos during the fifth party congress on February 10, 2008, after the previous chairman, Alekos Alavanos
, decided not to apply for a renewal of his chairmanship due to personal reasons. When he was elected president of Synaspismos he was 33, thus becoming the youngest ever head of a Greek parliamentary political party.
In the 2009 Greek legislative election
he was elected a member of the Hellenic parliament
for the Athens A' constituency and was voted unanimously, by the secretariat of the SYRIZA, as the head of its parliamentary group.
His current partner is Peristera Baziana, an electrical and computer engineer. They met in 1987 as schoolmates at the Ampelokipoi Branch High School and both became members of the Communist Youth of Greece
. Today, they live together and they have one son.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, member of the Hellenic parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
, president of the Synaspismos political party and head of SYRIZA parliamentary group.
Early life and career
Tsipras was born July 28, 1974, in Athens.He studied civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at the National Technical University of Athens
National Technical University of Athens
The National Technical University of Athens , sometimes simply known as Athens Polytechnic, is among the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions of Greece....
. After his graduation in 2000, he made post graduate studies on land surveying and planning following an inter-departmental programme of NTUA. Along-side his postgraduate studies he began working as a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
in the construction industry. He wrote several studies and projects on the theme of the city of Athens.
Political activity
He joined the Communist Youth of GreeceCommunist Youth of Greece
The Communist Youth of Greece, is the youth wing of the Communist Party of Greece .It publishes the monthly newspaper Odigitis and hosts Odigitis festivals in most of the major towns and cities of Greece....
in the late 80s. In the early 90s, he was politically active in the pupil uprising against the controversial law of then minister Vasilis Kontogiannopoulos, as a student of Ampelokipoi Branch High School. He rose to prominence as a representative of the pupil movement when he was featured as a guest at a show hosted by journalist Anna Panagiotarea. During an interview, the journalist implied that Tsipras was being disingenuous in defending middle and high school students' right to absenteeism without parental notification.
As a university student he joined the ranks of the renovative left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
movement and was member of the executive board of the Students' union
Students' union
A students' union, student government, student senate, students' association, guild of students or government of student body is a student organization present in many colleges and universities, and has started appearing in some high schools...
of the Civil Engineering School of NTUA and also served as student representative at the University Senate. From 1995 to 1997 he was elected member of the Central Council of the National Students Union of Greece (EFEE).
Political career
After the departure of the Communist Party of GreeceCommunist Party of Greece
Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Greece , better known by its acronym, ΚΚΕ , is the oldest party on the Greek political scene.- Foundation :...
from Synaspismos, Tsipras remained in the party. He was the first person ever to hold the leading position (political secretary) of the youth wing of Synaspismos Neolaia Syn, from May 1999 to November 2003, and was suceeeded by Tasos Koronakis. He managed quite efficiently to maintain a strong adherence to the policy of the party, effectively outvoicing political deviants to the left and the right. As secretary of the Synaspismos Youth he took active part in the process of creation of the Greek Social Forum and attended all the international protests and marches against neoliberal globalization. In December 2004, at the 4th Congress of Synaspismos, he was elected a member of the party's Central Political Committee and consequently to the Political Secretariat, where he was responsible for educational and youth issues.
Tsipras first entered the limelight of mainstream Greek politics during the 2006 local election
Greek local elections, 2006
The 2006 Greek local elections elected representatives to Greece's 3 super-prefectures, 54 prefectures, provinces, and approximately 1,033 communities and municipalities.The elections took place on Sunday, 15 October 2006 from 7am to 7pm....
when he ran for the municipality of Athens under the "Anoihti Poli" (Greek: Ανοιχτή Πόλη, "Open Town") SYRIZA ticket that gained 10.51% of the Athenian vote. He did not run for membership to the Hellenic parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
(Vouli) in the 2007 legislative election, choosing to continue to serve his term as a member of the municipal council of Athens.
He was elected chairman of Synaspismos during the fifth party congress on February 10, 2008, after the previous chairman, Alekos Alavanos
Alekos Alavanos
Alekos Alavanos is a Greek politician, member of the Hellenic Parliament, former member of the European Parliament. From 2004 until 2008 he was president of the Coalition of the Left of Movements and Ecology, commonly known as Synaspismos...
, decided not to apply for a renewal of his chairmanship due to personal reasons. When he was elected president of Synaspismos he was 33, thus becoming the youngest ever head of a Greek parliamentary political party.
In the 2009 Greek legislative election
Greek legislative election, 2009
Parliamentary elections were held in Greece on 4 October 2009. An election was not required until September 2011.On 2 September Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced he would request President Karolos Papoulias to dissolve Parliament and call an election...
he was elected a member of the Hellenic parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
for the Athens A' constituency and was voted unanimously, by the secretariat of the SYRIZA, as the head of its parliamentary group.
Personal life
-His current partner is Peristera Baziana, an electrical and computer engineer. They met in 1987 as schoolmates at the Ampelokipoi Branch High School and both became members of the Communist Youth of Greece
Communist Youth of Greece
The Communist Youth of Greece, is the youth wing of the Communist Party of Greece .It publishes the monthly newspaper Odigitis and hosts Odigitis festivals in most of the major towns and cities of Greece....
. Today, they live together and they have one son.
External links
- Curriculum Vitae Synaspismos website
- Anoihti Poli