Greece: Morning headlines see rift in Syriza following bailout vote

"He carries on, wounded" and "Syriza on fire" were among the Greek newspaper headlines in Athens, Thursday morning, just hours after the Hellenic Parliament's decision to back a raft of reform measures in exchange for an €86 billion ($95 billion) bailout. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras secured the support of a majority of parliamentarians but saw 30 Syriza MPs vote against him, including former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. Explaining his reasons for backing the austerity measures, the Greek prime minister said he had a "responsibility towards the working classes, towards an exhausted and pillaged society" to not lead them into an "even worse position than the one they are already in." Tsipras' statements came during a lengthy debate ahead of the vote, in which several MPs voiced their opinions about the bailout reforms. During the debate, anti-austerity protesters clashed with police on Syntagma Square in front of the Greek parliament. Demonstrators threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at police who responded by firing tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Following Tsipras' address, the Greek parliament approved the economic reforms demanded by the country's creditors, paving the way for a new bailout package, provided that it is agreed to by all respective European partners. A total of 229 MPs voted 'yes' and just 64 voted 'no' in the vote.