The framework agreement between the Greek government and European creditors that passed in the early morning hours of Thursday has caused a major rift within the ruling Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) party, as nearly 40 party MPs distanced themselves from the deal, with 32 voting “No”, six voting “present” and one deputy missing from the vote.

Despite the evident friction, SYRIZA leader and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras swept internal divisions aside choosing, instead, to rely on the votes of opposition parties to get a comfortable majority in the vote, while now focusing on implementing reforms at a breakneck speed that should have been implemented over the past five years – but weren’t.

Those voting against the measures included three ministers of SYRIZA’s far-left wings, which are allergy to any change in the social welfare state in Greece: Productive Reconstruction, Environment Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, Deputy Social Security Minister Dimitris Stratoulis and Deputy Defense Minister Kostas Isihos. Unlike Deputy Finance Minister Nadia Valavani, they have yet to tender their resignations. A government reshuffle is anticipated.

Questions arise as to how supporters of SYRIZA’s “internal opposition”, the virulently anti-capitalist and radical communist-expressing “Left Platform”, will actually react in terms of actions, as verbal reactions have been vociferous against what the faction calls “neoliberal policies”.

Lafazanis said – in reference to the 32 SYRIZA dissenters – that the party’s far-left faction still “supports the government, but disagrees with memorandums and austerity measures.” The minister clarified that not only does he still support the government but those who said no want “to exit the crisis with heads held high and with social justice” in tact.

Asked if he would resign, Lafazanis said it was Tsipras’ prerogative to set the Cabinet’s composition. “Tsipras is the prime minister by the will of the people,” he said, adding that the government has no plans for elections.