Profile: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras

Position: Prime Minister of Greece Incumbent: Alexis Tsipras Date of Birth: July 28, 1974 First Term: Jan 26 to Aug. 20 2015 Second Term: Sworn in Sept 21, 2015 for four-year term Key Facts: - Tsipras has transformed an obscure, far-left fringe party into the strongest force in Greek politics today, propelled largely by a wave of anti-austerity anger that has pushed up poverty and unemployment in Greece. - He assumed office in January 2015 at the age of 40, making him one of Greece's youngest-ever prime ministers. He has shown a desire to break from the past, becoming the first prime minister to take a civil rather than a religious oath during his swearing-in ceremonies, where he showed up without a tie. - A civil engineer by training, Tsipras has been involved in leftist politics from his student days, when he was a member of the Communist youth. He became leader of Syriza in 2008 and was elected to parliament in 2009. - Tsipras has railed against austerity and the 240-billion-euro bailout program backed by the European Union and International Monetary Fund that he says has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Greece. He has also worried European partners and financial markets with a demand that a big chunk of Greek debt should be written off. - After months of fierce fighting with other euro zone countries, Tsipras was forced in June to impose capital controls and then called a referendum for July on an offered bailout, urging Greeks to reject it. They did, but he was forced to accept another, tougher offer to keep Greece in the euro zone. - The Greek parliament approved the new bailout and some members of his Syriza party broke away to form their own. - Tsipras called an election for Sept. 20 and won, again forming a government in coalition with the small rightwing Independent Greeks party. - Tsipras is not married, but lives with his partner with whom he has two sons. (Writing by Deepa Babington)