Guardian
June 22, 2011
Greece's embattled prime minister has survived the first of a trio of tests that could sink the Greek economy and lay waste to Europe's single currency by winning a parliamentary vote of confidence in his reshuffled government. George Papandreou must now try to drive through a package of savage spending cuts and national assets sales in order to secure a new EU bailout.
With the complex effort to stave off a Greek sovereign default moving towards a climax and anti-government and anti-EU protesters laying siege to central Athens, Papandreou won the vote by 155-143 in the 300-seat chamber. Brussels and other EU capitals anxiously watched the drama in Athens prior to a crucial summit of EU leaders.
"Good news for Greece and for the EU as a whole," said Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission. Papandreou's victory removed "an element of uncertainty from an already very difficult situation. His government can now focus all efforts on building support in parliament for the ambitious series of fiscal measures and privatisations."
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