An Italian coalition party announced today it was quitting the government in a move likely to force Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign and seek a fresh mandate from parliament.
Sparking the worst political crisis of Mr Berlusconi's four years in office, the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC) said its four ministers would leave the cabinet and urged the prime minister to form a new administration with new policies.
Mr Berlusconi, who is determined to serve a full five-year term, due to end in spring 2006, has previously said he would not accept a major overhaul of his centre-right coalition. But after the UDC decision he said all options were open.
"I am completely unworried because as far as I'm concerned, I haven't ruled anything out," he told reporters, adding in his famously self-confident style: "You're not going to get rid of me that easily."
The political crisis was triggered by local elections earlier this month in which the government parties lost 11 of the 13 regions up for grabs in a sign of voter discontent over months of economic stagnation.
The centrist UDC party said the unexpectedly heavy defeat meant the government needed a radical revamp in personnel and policies if it wanted to win general elections slated for 2006.
Mr Berlusconi rejected the demand and UDC leaders decided today to quit the cabinet in an effort to force him into a U-turn, said European Affairs Minister Rocco Buttiglione, a UDC member.
"The leadership of the UDC has approved a document to withdraw its team from the government and reiterates that the party secretary should work for the creation of a new government ... headed by Berlusconi," said Mr Buttiglione.
The UDC indicated that if Mr Berlusconi refused the request the party would continue to support his coalition in parliament.
But that "external support" would leave Mr Berlusconi exposed, without a formal majority in either the upper of lower houses of parliament.