Greece debt crisis: German finance minister backs Grexit before Bundestag vote on bailout deal that no one believes in

The vote is expected to pass by a majority

German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble has dispelled notions that any deal will be straightforward (AP) (AP)

The Greek bailout plan is in the lap of the German parliament today as it debates whether or not to pass a third bailout package worth up to €86 million.

The vote is expected to pass by a majority, despite the conflicting views of the German Finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, who advocated on Thursday for Greece to take a temporary leave from the eurozone in return for a cut in debt.

Schäuble said that a voluntary departure from the eurozone "could perhaps be a better way" for Greece to get back on track than taking a third bailout package in five years. Despite his misgivings, Schäuble will present the package, which was hastily agreed after 17 hours of talks on Monnday, to the Bundestag.

His lack of faith in the agreement echoed the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras, who admitted he had got a 'bad deal' from Brussels on Greek television, a day before the Greek parliament signed up to to make it happen.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reacts during a parliament session in Athens

Germany has turned into the bad cop in the battle to keep the eurozone together. Talks grew sour after Tsipras called a snap referendum on June 26. Tsipras reneged on the verdict given by the Greek people, who voted ‘no’ to the package of reforms put to them by Brussels. Just a week later, after talks in Brussels in which bystanders said he was 'crucified', Tsipras said he would make the reforms happen.

On Wednesday, the Greek parliament voted through the four reforms Brussels had demanded of Athens to kickstart the bailout process, raising VAT and the retirement age in the process.

While only 64 MPs voted ‘no’ out of a majority ‘yes’ of 229 votes, half of those against were from Tsipras’s Syriza party. He has insisted he will remain as PM, a cabinet reshuffle is expected before July is out. 'Snap' elections could be called as early as September or October.