ATHENS – More than two years after taking office after promising to crack down on crime, Greece’s New Democracy government will bring longer sentences for serious crimes.

The measures were passed by the Parliament the government controls with a majority, all 157 of the Conservatives in the 300-member house supporting it, facing being booted by Prime Minister Kyriakis Mitsotakis if they didn’t.

They also got a vote from center-left Movement for Change (KINAL) lawmaker Andreas Loverdos but the other 21 members of the party voted present so they didn’t have to take a stand and all other parties opposed the measures.

The bill imposes tougher penalties for serious crimes such as rape or sexual abuse of minors, which now carry a life sentence without alternatives, while longer sentences were brought for those convicted of starting a forest fire if someone is killed.

The bill also introduces measures designed to increase the protection of vulnerable social groups and crack down on sex offenders, such as extending the statute of limitation and the way they are prosecuted in order to bring Greek law in line with European conventions protecting the rights of victims, the paper said.