Berlin vote on Greek aid deal

German lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on a new aid package for Greece, which needs approval to meet a debt payment deadline a day later.

The vote in the Bundestag will follow euro-area finance ministers’ decision last Friday to endorse the €86bn loan programme. Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose coalition has a parliament majority, moved a planned visit to Milan up a day to today to allow time to attend caucus meetings the night before to argue against opponents in her own parliamentary group.

The new Greek programme will see funds disbursed over three years as the government enacts economic reforms, though prime minister Alexis Tsipras will get a portion immediately to cover looming bills. One of those, a €3.2bn payment to the European Central Bank, is due on Thursday.