Profile: Greek centrist River party leader Stavros Theodorakis

As opinion polls show the two main political parties SYRIZA and new Democracy are neck-and-neck, Greek centrist party River (Potami) of Stavros Theodorakis could emerge as a possible coalition partner for both with no outright majority for the first party, according to political analysts in Athens.

Born in 1963 in the city of Chania on Crete island and raised in Athens, Theodorakis, son of a policeman and volunteer to support the education of Roma, started his career as a journalist and documentary maker before stepping into politics in February 2014 shortly before the European Parliament elections.

His party consisted of people from various sectors of the society like doctors, architects, intellectuals, with no involvement in politics until then, as he wanted to keep a distance from the "old guard" of Greek politicians.

Striving to "create a new European policy to foster a broader centre-Left movement" as he stated, his party won 6.6 percent in the May European Parliament ballot and elected two MEPs.

In the January 2015 national election, the River party finished in the fourth place after the far-Right Golden Dawn and entered with 17 members in the 300-seat strong house.

During the seven month coalition government of SYRIZA and Independent Greeks, the River party voted in favor of the new bailout agreement in order to avert a Greek bankruptcy and Grexit.

While the 52-year-old centrist leader has been criticized of not having clear positions over the economy and all major issues, Theodorakis has affirmed during his pre-election campaign that he is willing to cooperate "with the leftists, the conservatives or even the devil" so as Greece would not return to the ballot box again soon and stability is restored. Endit