Romania's governing coalition broke down on Monday, as the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats decided to withdraw from the two-party coalition led by the Social Democratic Party. 

According to alliance leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, the standing delegation of the alliance on Monday voted to exit the coalition government. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, also leader of the Social Democratic Party, announced that the Social Democrats will have a meeting of the National Executive Committee at the end of this week to establish the steps to be taken regarding staying in government. 

Referring to the alliance's categorical decision of the day, Tariceanu told the media that he had tried to save the coalition at the last minute and made a series of suggestions on government restructuring and budget revision on Monday morning when meeting with Dancila. 

"Unfortunately, I received no counter-proposal," he said, adding that "My colleagues decided thus to leave the coalition government that we have made together with the Social Democrats." 

The move means that the current cabinet has lost its majority in the parliament and become a minority government. If the Social Democrats still persist in power, the government is likely to be impeached by the oppositions once the parliament resumes work after the end of the summer recess. 

Asked by the media about the alliance's position on the no-confidence vote announced by the main opposition National Liberal Party, Tariceanu replied: "Quite simple, what an opposition party does. We will not vote for the government. The opposition party votes the motion of censure against the government, to be clear." 

The prime minister, in her turn, said that her party intended to hold negotiations to secure a majority in parliament. 

"Of course, we will try to negotiate to get a majority in parliament... we will use all the levers so that this government will complete the program it promised to the citizens," said Dancila. 

Analysts believe that apart from some contradictions on the ruling issues, the main reason for the breakdown of the coalition is that the Social Democrats insisted on launching their own candidate for the presidential elections this November, rejecting the proposal of its minor ruling partner to launch a joint candidate. 

Tariceanu also announced that the alliance leadership voted to endorse, in the upcoming presidential elections, the candidacy of 69-year-old Mircea Diaconu, an actor and independent politician.