George Stathakis

Whatever the outcome of wrangling in Brussels over its debt problems, Greece may be heading for further political turmoil as defections by leftwingers weaken Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' grip on government.

Sceptical euro zone finance ministers demanded on Saturday that Greece go beyond painful austerity measures accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if he wants them to open negotiations on a third bailout for his bankrupt country to keep it in the euro.

Greece delayed repayment of an IMF loan today and a deputy minister said Athens might call snap elections to break an impasse with lenders that threatens to push the country into bankruptcy and out of the euro.

Greece's hard left government was to fine tune its economic programme today ahead of a week of high-risk international talks but with no sign so far of an imminent deal with its creditors.

Whatever the outcome of wrangling in Brussels over its debt problems, Greece may be heading for further political turmoil as defections by leftwingers weaken Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' grip on government.

Sceptical euro zone finance ministers demanded on Saturday that Greece go beyond painful austerity measures accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras if he wants them to open negotiations on a third bailout for his bankrupt country to keep it in the euro.

Greece delayed repayment of an IMF loan today and a deputy minister said Athens might call snap elections to break an impasse with lenders that threatens to push the country into bankruptcy and out of the euro.

Greece's hard left government was to fine tune its economic programme today ahead of a week of high-risk international talks but with no sign so far of an imminent deal with its creditors.