Germany backs Greek bailout as Tsipras mulls early polls

German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble prior to a vote on Greece's third bailout programme during a session of Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, August 19, 2015. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

BERLIN/ATHENS (Reuters) - The German parliament approved a third bailout for Greece on Wednesday after Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the country should get "a new start", while in Athens the government agonised over whether to call a snap election.

The Bundestag vote cleared one of the final obstacles to Greece getting funding so that it can make a 3.2 billion-euro (£2.3 billion) debt repayment to the European Central Bank on Thursday.