Greek Parliament Approves Heavy Austerity Measures

Greek lawmakers in Parliament voted 172 out of 300 in favor of a three-year, $40 billion bailout austerity bill.
Greek Parliament Approves Heavy Austerity Measures
By
5/6/2010
Updated:
5/6/2010
Greek lawmakers in Parliament Thursday voted 172 out of 300 in favor of a three-year, $40 billion bailout austerity bill, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Outside the Parliament building in Athens, 10,000 people converged to speak out against the heavy austerity measures. Riot police used tear gas to disperse some youths who taunted and threw objects at them.

Greek President George Papandreou expelled three members of Parliament in his socialist party after they abstained from voting, and leader of the opposing New Democracy Party, Antonis Samaras, did the same with a member who voted for the measures, according to The Guardian.