Greek PM Tsipras replaces rebels in government reshuffle

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is widely expected to reshuffle his Cabinet, following a rebellion within his party over a parliament vote to approve painful austerity measures demanded for new bailout talks to start. A large number of Syriza lawmakers are expected to dissent and vote against the package, raising questions about whether Tsipras’ government can survive in its current form.

But the reforms will condemn the Greek people to more years of economic hardship.

He said the position of the creditors left Athens with three options: accepting the deal; leaving the euro with the consent of the partners under a German proposal; or a disorderly exit from the single currency.

Approval came thanks to pro-European opposition parties who voted in favor, and in spite of deepening dissent within Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza party.

Thousands marched through central Athens in an anti-austerity protest timed to coincide with the parliamentary procedure late last night.

But he has recently criticized Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras over a draft agreement reached this week for a massive new worldwide rescue deal.

The measures were approved by 229 lawmaker in the 300-seat parliament.

And Syriza’s hardline leftists, lead by Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, were reported by Greek media as braced to vote against the measures while calling for a return to the drachma.

Next week the Greek parliament will vote on a second bill needed for finalizing the agreement with the creditors.

“We have been betrayed!” shouted a man in a balaclava, as police used pepper spray and gas to stop a crowd breaching a security line blocking off the road to the prime minister’s office.

The violence earlier involved about 200 youths who hurled firebombs and rocks at riot police, and smashed office windows and set fire to trash bins.

The European Commission on Wednesday formally backed a controversial proposal to use an EU-wide crisis fund to cover Greece’s short-term cash needs, officials said, setting up a clash with Britain and Germany. It faces a Monday deadline to repay 4.2 billion euros ($4.6 billion) to the European Central Bank, and is also in arrears on 2 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund.