Greece's Tsipras asserts control over party with congress vote

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras gestures as he delivers his speech during a central committee of leftist Syriza party in Athens, July 30, 2015. REUTERS/ Yiannis Kourtoglou

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's ruling Syriza movement backed a call on Thursday from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to hold an emergency party congress as he seeks to assert his control over rebel lawmakers balking at new bailout talks.

At a meeting of the Syriza movement's 200-member central committee held in an old cinema hall, Tsipras defended his decision to accept harsh bailout terms as the best deal anyone could win for Greece.