Government Survives No-Confidence Vote

After a three-day debate, the motion was rejected by 153 votes to 124. Seventeen deputies, including all of Democratic Left's 14 deputies, effectively abstained.

Speaking during the debate, prime minister Antonis Samaras and PASOK leader and deputy premier, Evangelos Venizelos, argued that the Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras had called the vote in an effort to unify disparate elements in his own party.

The debate was fraught with acerbic comments from all sides, with tempers rising when Mr. Tsipras again mentioned his party's resolve to ask for a parliamentary inquiry committee to look into the so-called "submarine scandal."

Ms. Theodora Tzakri, of PASOK, voted in favor of the motion, and was immediately struck from party lists by Mr. Venizelos, after the vote.
Meanwhile, on Monday, tensions continued in parliament in the wake of the vote, as New Democracy spokesman Makis Voridis noted the government was reinforced by the outcome.

In contrast SYRIZA deputy Giorgos Kontonis said the loss of Ms Tzakri and the reservations by other deputies of the coalition government were forced to vote against the motion

Communist party MP thanasis Pafilis said that a new bipolarity is emerging between New Democracy and SYRIZA that poses erroneous dilemmason policy management.