Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras survived a no-confidence motion in Parliament, brought over a deal to end a decades-old dispute with neighbouring Macedonia concerning the latter’s name.

The motion, brought by the opposition New Democracy party, was rejected by 153 MPs, with 127 in favour.

But the government suffered a loss in its parliamentary majority after MP Dimitris Kammenos of the nationalist Independent Greeks, the Government’s junior coalition partner, voted in favour.

He was kicked out of the party immediately after the vote, leaving the governing coalition with a three-member majority.

Political opponents had accused Mr Tsipras of making too many concessions over the deal to rename the former Yugoslav republic North Macedonia, due to be signed on Sunday.

Thousands of Greeks protested outside Parliament against the accord with Macedonia, waving Greek flags and chanting anti-government slogans, calling for Mr Tsipras to resign.

Scuffles broke out and police used stun grenades and tear gas to prevent them from entering the building. There was one arrest.

“This is a deal I believe that every Greek prime minister would want,” Mr Tsipras told the chamber earlier.

Had he lost, the leftist elected in 2015 would have had to relinquish his mandate to the country’s president, signalling early elections.

He is already trailing centre-right New Democracy in opinion polls.

A deeply emotional subject

Greek protesters gather during a rally in Athens earlier this year. Photo: AP

The deal reached by the Greek Prime Minister and his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev on Tuesday aims to end a bitter dispute that has roiled the two countries’ relations since Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Greece argued the term “Macedonia” implied territorial claims on its province of the same name, which is the birthplace of the ancient warrior king Alexander the Great, and usurped its ancient Greek heritage and history.

The deal was met with fury by critics in both countries, who accuse their respective prime ministers of conceding too much.

“Hatred toward the country of another is not patriotism,” Mr Tsipras said during his speech in Parliament.

On Saturday, protesters outside the Parliament building shouted “traitor, traitor!” as lawmakers debated inside.

“I’m just furious,” said 69-year-old monk Theologos Ambotis.

“Conceding on the name is conceding on territory. Macedonia and Alexander the Great is Greek history and culture, and they are just giving it away to Skopje.” he said.

Under the terms of the accord, the country will be known as Republic of North Macedonia and Greece will lift its objections to the renamed nation joining the European Union and the NATO military alliance.

Accord to be signed on Sunday

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov will sign the pact in the border lake region of Prespes on Sunday morning.

New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis addresses Parliament. Photo: AP

Mr Tsipras and Mr Zaev will also be present.

It will require ratification by both national parliaments and approval in a Macedonian referendum, which is not assured.

The President of Macedonia has said he will not endorse the pact, while in Greece, Mr Tsipras’s right-wing coalition partners have said their politicians will reject it when it is brought for ratification. That is expected to occur by the end of the year.

Protests were scheduled on both sides of the border on Sunday.

–ABC/agencies