Four Cabinet ministers, including a deputy prime minister, have resigned from the Turkish government.
The departures will fuel calls for early elections and the resignation of ailing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
Deputy Premier Husamettin Ozkan, who was considered one of Mr Ecevit's closest aides, the culture minister and two other state ministers have
The deputy speaker of parliament has also resigned, NTV reported. All five were from Mr Ecevit's Democratic Left Party.
On Sunday Mr Devlet Bahceli, leader of the nationalists, called for an early election in November to end uncertainty over Mr Ecevit's health and divisions within the government.
Mr Ecevit has refused the call to step down, despite the fact that he has been in the hospital or confined to his home due to illness for the past two months.
With the resignations, Mr Ecevit's party loses its slim majority in parliament to the nationalists.
Mr Ozkan was considered Mr Ecevit's closest aide and his possible successor and seen as a key player in keeping the coalition together for over three years.
Mr Ecevit was apparently angered that Mr Ozkan failed to quash rumors that he was too ill to govern.
