After some digging around Ubuntu seems to have a similar issue
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/smarty3/+bug/1986916 -- Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
- Bug#1021571: smarty3: Parse error in /usr/share/php/smarty3/s... Ed Martin
- Bug#1021571: Ubuntu is affected too Ed Martin
- Bug#1021571: smarty3: Parse error in /usr/share/php/smar... Mike Gabriel
