Greece's coalition party leaders back bailout deal

ATHENS, Greece — The leaders of the two parties backing Greece's coalition government called on their deputies Saturday to back legislation that calls for harsh new austerity measures — essential if Greece is to get a new bailout deal worth €130 billion ($171.6 billion) and stave off bankruptcy.

Debate on emergency legislation approving the new bailout and a debt-swapping deal with private creditors will begin in committee Saturday afternoon. A plenary session will debate and vote on it Sunday. Further legislation detailing the measures demanded by, and agreed with, Greece's public creditors, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, will be up for vote a few days later. The exact time has not yet been set.

Both leaders — socialist George Papandreou and conservative Antonis Samaras — told their respective parliamentary groups that there is no real alternative to voting for the legislation, except pushing Greece to bankruptcy.

"If we do not dare today, we will live a catastrophe," Papandreou said.

"This (bailout) will give the country the opportunity and the time to stand back on its feet," said Samaras.

Deputies are wary of voting for the measures, which include wage and pension cuts and the prospect of more to come, along with the firing of several thousand civil servants. The demands of the EU and the IMF have caused one of the original coalition parties — the populist right-wing Popular Orthodox Party — to quit the government and withdraw its four members from the cabinet. Two more cabinet members — both socialist deputy ministers — have also quit, citing their disagreements with parts of the austerity package.

Sensing the unease among their MPs, and trying to prevent a wholesale rebellion, both Papandreou and Samaras have called for a yes vote. But whereas Papandreou was vague about the prospect of sanctions against any rebels, Samaras was clear — threatening to expel those who did not vote in favor and to exclude them from the next election. "I want to make it absolutely clear ... rebels or 'bravehearts' have no place in (the party's) candidate lists," he said.