After expressing his opposition to a new series of austerity measures that are set to be adopted in an upcoming vote in the Greek Parliament Nikos Stavrogiannis, was stripped of his membership with the New Democracy party by ND leader Antonis Samaras. In an interview to the Sunday edition of the Real News newspaper, Stavrogiannis said that he could not, in good conscience, vote for the measures which he believes will hurt the poorest families. The three-party ruling coalition government now has 177 deputies in the 300-member parliament.
