Parliament narrowly passes government's spring budget in second vote

Parliament narrowly approved the government's second spring budget on Wednesday, after two budgets from the ruling Social Democrats and the right-wing opposition failed to get approval last week.

The budget that passed is nearly identical to the first one the government presented except that it included a last-minute political deal on raising pensions.

Backing the ruling Social Democrats' budget were the Left, Green and Center parties as well as Amineh Kakabaveh, an independent lawmaker who was previously with the Left Party.