Greece’s government secured enough votes in parliament after midnight on Sunday to pass a key reform bill, ensuring further bailout loans to avoid default.
However the session was fraught with tension, with a further dwindling of the government’s slim majority.
Nikitas Kaklamanis, a member of the ruling New Democracy party, was expelled for voting against one of the articles in the bill.
Ex-premier George Papandreou did likewise
but has not suffered the same fate from PASOK.
Greece’s government now has only a majority of 152 in the 300 seat parliament.
While the voting was going on, outside there were more protests against the reform measures being passed by MPs.
Greece needs the fresh bailout to repay 9.3 billion euros of debt maturing in May.
Despite the bill, including a 527-million euro windfall to be spent on poor, austerity-hit Greeks, the mood on the streets remains highly critical of the government.
