The two DUP Ministers, Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds, have announced their resignation from Northern Ireland's Executive after a DUP motion to expel Sinn Fein from government failed on Tuesday.
While securing the support of four Ulster Unionists, Ms Pauline Armitage, Mr Derek Hussey, Mr Roy Beggs jnr and Mr Peter Weir, who lost the party whip last year, the DUP fell short of the 60 per cent of unionist support for the motion it had set itself as a target, triggering Mr Robinson's and Mr Dodds's resignations.
The motion itself was certain to fail as it did not have the crossparty support of unionists and nationalists.
The resignations will come into effect on July 27th, with the portfolios of Regional Development and Social Development being taken over by two party colleagues, likely to be Mr Gregory Campbell and Mr Maurice Morrow. The DUP plans to rotate the posts at regular intervals among its MLAs.
In a statement, the First and Deputy First Ministers, Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon, said they were astonished at the DUP's "antics" but would not allow them to threaten important public services.
"How anyone can believe that rotating Ministers regularly will not harm the delivery of public services is a mystery. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this unfortunate policy is that the DUP is using these important ministerial offices for its own narrow political purposes.
"That is an abuse of the public interest and a breach of the good faith which the two Ministers pledged on taking up office. The provision of good government, the delivery of public services and sound administration become secondary to what is essentially a political campaign against the Good Friday agreement and a totally premature election campaign," the joint statement concluded.
Announcing Mr Robinson's and Mr Dodds's resignations, the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, expressed his determination to destroy the Belfast Agreement, which he described as perverting democracy.
"The gloves are off. They drew up an agreement designed to give nationalists as much power as they could. We have taken the sword that was designed to kill unionism and we will use it to kill the agreement. I have been slaughtered, killed and buried and I have always risen again. The truth shall prevail and we will see, at last, democracy," Dr Paisley insisted.
The DUP leader said the defections of four Ulster Unionists signalled a "turning of the tide" as Mr Trimble's support was ebbing away fast.
"Mr Trimble is seeping support. As fast as he seeps away from his electoral promises so the support seeps from him. He is becoming weaker and weaker by the day. The fact that he can no longer command a unionist majority in the Assembly shows that he is no longer the First Minister," he added.
Mr Robinson said he and Mr Dodds would ensure that there was a smooth transition. The prospective ministers were already being extensively briefed on their portfolios so that there would be no disruption of important business.
Mr Dodds stressed that the salaries of DUP ministers and MLAs would continue to go towards party funds. "Our party puts its responsibility to the electorate before ministerial office," he added.