Greek PM set to win confidence vote after centrist lawmaker breaks ranks: Sources

Reuters , Tuesday 15 Jan 2019

Alexis Tsipras
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attends the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Defence Minister and former Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff Evangelos Apostolakis at the Presidential Palace in Athens, Greece, January 14, 2019. (Reuters)

Greece's Alexis Tsipras is set to win a confidence vote on Wednesday after winning the support of an opposition centrist lawmaker who broke ranks with his party, a source said, giving the prime minister the 151 votes he needs.

Tsipras called the confidence vote following the resignation of right-wing Defence Minister Panos Kammenos over an accord to end a long dispute between Greece and Macedonia by changing the Balkan state's name.

Parliament will begin a debate on Tuesday and the vote is expected on Wednesday night.

The prime minister said last week he could call a snap election if he failed to win 151 votes. His left-wing Syriza party has 145 seats in the 300-seat chamber and the support of one independent lawmaker.

Another four lawmakers have said that they will back him. A fifth, Spyros Danellis, announced his decision to do likewise to his Potami party on Tuesday night, a party official said.

"Danellis called (Potami leader) Stavros Theodorakis late last night and told him that he will support the government," the official told Reuters.

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