Greek government narrowly wins privatization vote

Greece's government scraped through a parliamentary vote on a contentious article in a privatization law demanded by lenders, highlighting the fragility of the ruling coalition.

The article, which intends to scrap the government's obligation to own a minimum stake in a string of former state companies, passed with 148 deputies backing it and 139 deputies against the measure.

Support for the measure fell far short of the 176-seat majority Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's three-party coalition enjoys in parliament. A junior partner in the coalition did not back the measure, while several lawmakers from another coalition partner also failed to support the article.