Angela Merkel admitted she had "never seen such days of drama" as those leading up to today's vote in the German parliament to kickstart negotiations on a third Greek bailout. Although some within Mrs Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party and its sister Christian Social Union group had indicated they would vote against or abstain, the vote was passed by 439-119. The Chancellor runs a grand coalition with the centre left Social Democratic Party which accounts for a formidable 503 out of the 630 sitting politicians in the German parliament (one fewer because of the sudden death of young government spokesman Philipp Missfelder).