( CNN ) -- The nation of Greece has come to a screeching halt again . Unions have called for a 48-hour general strike beginning Tuesday ahead of an anticipated vote by the Greek government on yet another round of austerity measures the following day . Protesters filed past parliament , their banners and Greek flags flapping in the air over their heads . Greek media are expecting a cliffhanger in parliament late Wednesday night , with passage of the austerity measures by just a handful of votes . Analysis : Greece 's misery wo n't end with bailout . If legislators do not pass the measures , it will endanger the payout of the next international bailout installment of 31.5 billion euros , which the government desperately needs to stay in operation . Without the funds , it says it will run out of money by mid-November . But Greeks are furious about the effects of multiple rounds of belt-tightening , which have resulted in cuts to pensions and pay and seen unemployment in Greece 's fifth year of recession soar to over 25 % . More than one-fifth of the population could face poverty , defined as a family of four on an income of 13,842 euros ( about $ 17,500 ) per year , state news agency AMNA has reported . Critics of austerity have called for economic stimulus programs instead , like those implemented in the United States . The two-day general strike will shut down transportation across the country , including ships and taxis , said AMNA , which is joining the strike along with other media outlets for four and a half hours Tuesday . Hospitals are striking both days , and pharmacies will close all day Wednesday . Government offices are shuttering for the extent of the strike . About 35,000 demonstrators turned out in Athens , Greek police spokesman Panagiotis Papapetropoulos said . The street protest remained peaceful , without any of the disturbances that have marred other demonstrations in recent months . Wednesday is expected to draw the larger crowd of demonstrators as the vote approaches . If Greece is to stay the course laid out by the so-called troika -- the European Commission , the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund -- more budget cuts will be necessary , as the country 's debt woes are worse than previously believed . Recent budget projections for the Greek government exceed the worst-case scenarios envisioned by international lenders when they agreed to a bailout , according to a Financial Times report published by CNN . The hardship many Greek people are suffering has resulted in dogged opposition in parliament to deeper cuts , including within the ruling coalition . The Democratic Party of the Left , or DIMAR , one of three parties making up the coalition headed up by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras , has said it will abstain in the vote on the new round of austerity measures , turning in blank ballots . But it plans to vote Sunday to approve the government 's new budget . Samaras ' own center-right New Democracy party is expected to vote in favor of the package . Although the third coalition member -- the socialist party Pasok -- supports the cuts , individual party members have come out against them and could defect , putting the vote in jeopardy . Radical leftist party Syriza , bitterly opposed to austerity and closely connected to Greek unions , calls on its website for Greeks to demonstrate against the `` rape '' of democracy and the dashing of the hopes of the people . Samaras warned that if the measures do n't pass and international funds do n't arrive , the nation could plunge into chaos . He is pushing for Greece to receive more than the 31.5 billion euros expected in the latest installment `` so that there is a significant effect on the real economy . '' Greece , and particularly Athens , has seen repeated street demonstrations against the austerity measures imposed on the nation , some of which have turned violent . Journalist Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report .
NEW : Police estimate 500 people turned out for a peaceful protest in Athens . A 31.5 billion - euro bailout installment is due from the European Union and Japan . The Greek parliament is required to pass new emergency legislation beforehand . Local media say the vote will be a surprise , with narrow passage expected .