22 Jul 2015

Greek PM seeks support for next step

9:14 pm on 22 July 2015

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is meeting members of his Syriza party to try to rally support, ahead of a second vote in parliament on reforms needed as part of a planned bailout.

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras delivers a speech during a parliament meeting in Athens.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Photo: Anadolu Agency / AFP

The BBC said the country's public sector union was calling for more protests.

After the austerity measures passed last week, these reforms are of a more structural nature.

They include legislation to ensure that, if a bank fails, the shareholders and creditors will take a loss, as well as an overhaul of Greece's judicial system.

More contentious measures - phasing out early retirement and tax rises for farmers - have been pushed back to August.

The BBC's Mark Lowen said the reforms were likely to pass, thanks to opposition support, but Mr Tsipras would again expect a rebellion within his party.

The measures are a condition for Greece to wrap up negotiations on the bailout deal, which it hopes to conclude by 20 August.

- BBC

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