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The Greek government has won a critical vote of confidence in parliament as it struggles to win support for extra austerity measures and avoid a default. Prime Minister George Papandreou's new cabinet was approved by 155 votes to 143, with two abstentions. MPs will now be asked to approve 28bn euros (£25bn) of cuts, tax rises, fiscal reforms and privatisation plans.
Just because thousands riot ... does NOT mean the majority of the country side with the protesters. Technically only a small percentage of the population rioted in Egypt. Only a tiny portion rioted in Tunesia, and only a small minority started the trouble in Libya.
On March 1, 2010, Chancellor Merkel's spokeswoman said: "A clear no. There will be no budgetary funds for Greece." At that point, Athens was on the verge of bankruptcy, and politicians with Germany's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) were suggesting that the country sell off a few islands.
You can't determine the national mood of any country by viewing riots in the streets. A perfect American example would be the Wisconsin protests over unions .. seeing the mass protests one could assume we all must support unions, when in fact the majority of Americans do not.