Greece ? Greek lawmakers approved drastic austerity cuts Thursday needed to secure international rescue loans worth $140 billion and clashes briefly erupted in the streets outside parliament, forcing police to use tear gas.

The new clashes came a day after violent protests left three people dead after a bank was firebombed in Athens.

Greek lawmakers voted 172-121 to approve the austerity measures — worth about $38.18 billion through 2012 — that will slash pensions and civil servants’ pay and further hike consumer taxes.

The rescue loans are aimed at containing the debt crisis and keeping Greece’s troubles from spreading to other countries with vulnerable state finances such as Portugal and Spain. The money will come from the International Monetary Fund and the 15 other governments whose countries use the euro.

Fears of Greek default have undermined the euro, and while the current package should keep Greece from immediate bankruptcy, its long-term prospects are unclear.