As a Policy Fellow, Tsipras will engage with professors, students, and researchers, sharing insights from his tenure during one of Europe’s most turbulent political and economic periods.
“We are honored to host Alexis Tsipras, who, as Prime Minister, experienced and shaped some of the most defining moments in 21st-century European history,” said Daniel Ziblatt, Director of Harvard’s Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES) and Eaton Professor of Government.
Tsipras first took office in January 2015, at age 40, becoming Greece’s youngest and first left-wing Prime Minister. Elected on an anti-austerity platform, he opposed the stringent financial measures imposed on Greece by the European Union (EU), European Central Bank (ECB), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the country’s debt crisis.
His government engaged in months of intense negotiations, culminating in a referendum and a second electoral victory in September 2015. In addition to economic policy, Tsipras played a key role in securing the Prespa Agreement, a landmark diplomatic deal that resolved a long-standing name dispute between Greece and North Macedonia.
Currently, Tsipras serves as a Member of the Greek Parliament and Chair of the Western Balkans Committee in the Council of Europe. In 2024, he founded the Alexis Tsipras Institute for Peace, Justice, and Sustainable Development, dedicated to promoting progressive policies across Europe and beyond.
At Harvard, Tsipras will lecture at CES and the Center for Hellenic Studies (CHS), a premier research institute focusing on Greek culture and history. CES, founded in 1969, is the oldest and largest U.S. university center dedicated to European studies.
Through its Policy Fellows Program, Harvard invites prominent global leaders to contribute to academic research and policymaking discussions. Tsipras’ participation is expected to provide valuable perspectives on European politics, financial crises, and international diplomacy.
