The government won the vote with 155 votes for, 138 against, five blank ballots and two absences.

The approval cleared the way for the release of a much-needed tranche of emergency funding from Greece's creditors but a second vote scheduled for Wednesday - on the implementation of the measures - will determine whether or not the €12 billion installment will be disbursed and a new rescue package elaborated.

But it was not all good news for the government. There were losses for the ruling Socialists as Panagiotis Kouroublis, one of a handful of sceptics, voted against the programme and was ousted from the party.

Press release