The Greek parliament has narrowly voted to approve a drastic austerity package despite facing widespread opposition.
The proposed tax hikes and spending cuts have been deeply unpopular with the Greek public. A nationwide 48-hour strike is under way and clashes between police and protesters have been reported. However, the package of reforms was vital in order for the country to secure the latest tranche of a 110bn-euro (£98bn) loan. There will be a second vote on Thursday for the implementation of different parts of the package, such as tax rises and the sale of state assets. Ahead of the vote, PM George Papandreou had urged MPs to approve the package by consensus.
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