Five ministers from the party of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi are resigning from the coalition government in Italy.
The People of Freedom party objects to a planned tax rise. Its members previously threatened to resign if a Senate committee votes next week to expel Mr Berlusconi over a conviction for tax fraud.
Prime Minister Enrico Letta returned from New York on Friday in attempt to prevent the coalition from collapsing.
The BBC reports the announcement of the resignations on Saturday suggest his efforts failed.
The prime minister said late on Friday that he would quit unless the government wins a confidence vote due next week in parliament.
A BBC correspondent says fresh elections are a real possibility, but there may also be an attempt to stitch together a new coalition.
The coalition government was put together after inconclusive elections in February.
