Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the Greek Coalition of the Radical Left — best known by its acronym, Syriza — is the focus of attention in Europe after his party’s victory in Sunday’s election. Tsipras has vowed to bring change to a country devastated by an economic crisis and strict austerity measures.
After seven years as the president of his party, 40-year-old Tsipras now stands on the threshold of Greece’s presidential palace, ready to create a new government. Tsipras has been preparing for this moment for the past 2 1/2 years, ever since Syriza was proclaimed the second biggest party participating in national elections.
Some in politics would say Tsipras is a “sprinter,” since he managed to accomplish in a short period of time what others have worked for their entire lives. While the economic crisis and the indignation of the Greek people have been important factors in Tsipras’ rise and the success of Syriza, the Greek Parliament’s youngest party leader distinguished himself on the political scene early on. Even today, his political opponents belligerently bring up his political actions as a “kid.”
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE LEADERSHIP OF SYRIZA
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His new restrictions do not stop there: Going out for dinner or drinks has been limited, and not only because of his workload. “Being a public figure limits your social life, since sometimes you just want to have dinner or drinks with friends without everyone looking at your group,” an associate explained.
Even though he is a music lover, with a fondness for Latin American culture, he is often unable to enjoy it. Events with traditional Greek and folk music, like the festivals of his youth, are now hard to revive.
This piece originally appeared in HuffPost Greece and was translated into English.
