Gov't majority shrinks further as coalition partner ANEL loses another MP

Greek coalition partner Independent Greeks (ANEL) on Tuesday lost another lawmaker from its tiny parliamentary group, after Giorgos Lazaridis announced his departure from the nationalist party.

Lazaridis's resignation comes days after ANEL chief and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos ousted Dimitris Kammenos (who is no relation) from the party for voting against the government in a no-confidence motion tabled by opposition New Democracy over Athens's name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

The development whittles ANEL's parliamentary group to just seven and the government's majority to a scant 152 MPs in the 300-seat House.

In a separate development, meanwhile, Dimitris Kammenos told Skai TV on Tuesday morning that the coalition intends to call early elections before the name deal with FYROM is put before lawmakers in Parliament.