Alekos Alavanos

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Alekos (Alexandros) Alavanos (Greek: Αλέκος Αλαβάνος) is a Greek politician, member of the Hellenic Parliament, former member of the European Parliament and president of the Synaspismos party of the radical left since 2004.

Born in 1950 in Athens, Alavanos has been politically active since his youth. During the military dictatorship of 1967-1974, Alavanos participated in the student movement against the regime ; as a result his military service deferment was revoked and he was briefly incarcerated in EAT/ESA. He was continuously elected European MP from 1981 to 2004, first with the Communist Party of Greece and then with Synaspismos.

In the 2004 Greek legislative election, Alavanos was elected MP in Athens. Since Nikos Konstantopoulos, his predecessor in Synaspismos' leadership, announced his intention not to be candidate for a next term of presidency, Alavanos announced his own will to succeed him in his office. The congress of the party elected Alavanos president on December 12, 2004.

Alekos Alavanos is an economist. He is married with Aikaterini Haralambaki and he is the father of two daughters.