Austria's parliament starts debate on expanding the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) bailout fund for struggling euro zone members today, with the government confident the measure will pass easily.

The Social Democrats and their conservative People's Party coalition partners support the plan and need only a simple majority in the lower house.

Nearly all members of the opposition Greens will also vote for the step, party finance spokesman Werner Kogler said, while far-right opposition parties oppose further bailouts in principle.

The law raises Austrian guarantees for the EFSF to €21.6 billion from the original €12.2 billion. The legislation does not require a green light from the upper house.

Euro zone leaders agreed on July 21st to give the €440 billion EFSF more powers, though critics argue that the sovereign debt crisis has deteriorated so much since then that far more aggressive action is needed.

The EFSF deal requires parliamentary approval in the 17 member countries. Germany's lower house approved it on yesterday.

In Austria, deputies vote yes by standing up during the counting or no by remaining seated.

Reuters