Tsipras likely to call confidence vote after party revolt

[muriel_volestrangler]

The Greek government appears likely to call a confidence vote following a rebellion among lawmakers from the ruling Syriza party over the country's new bailout deal, senior ministers said on Monday.

Energy Minister Panos Skourletis described such a parliamentary vote as "self-evident" following Friday's rebellion when almost a third of Syriza deputies abstained or voted against the agreement.

With Syriza's left wing showing little sign of returning to the party fold, Skourletis also raised the possibility of early elections should Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras lose a confidence motion. Tsipras had to rely on opposition support to get the bailout deal through parliament, and another minister argued that elections would be a way of achieving political stability.

Greece's political turmoil has raised uncertainty over how the government will implement the bailout deal, which demands profound economic reform and tough austerity policies, without a workable majority.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/08/17/uk-eurozone-greece-panos-idUKKCN0QM0FW20150817

[PoliticAverse]

1. Greek opposition party refuses to back PM in any confidence vote

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/17/us-eurozone-greece-opposition-iduskcn0ql0qh20150817