Junior ruling party's standing delegation to vote for pulling out of gov't (sources)

The governing bodies of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), minor at rule, will decide today on whether or not to pull out of the government, with the ministers endorsed by the party to resign at the first government meeting, political sources say. The decision to leave the government came after the Social Democratic Party (PSD), major at rule has denied ALDE's request for a government reshuffle and a new governance programme. ALDE national leader Calin Popescu -Triceanu withdraws from the presidential race because the Social-Democrats who would have voted for a single PSD-ALDE candidate will no longer do so, as PSD has its own candidate, according to the same sources. The sources say Tariceanu will also resign as Senate chairman at the beginning of the next parliamentary session. ALDE MPs are also reportedly willing to vote on a motion of censure tabled by the Opposition. ALDE and PRO Romania will form an electoral alliance for the presidential election, with ALDE being willing to logistically support independent candidate Mircea Diaconu in the presidential race, according to the same sources. AGERPRES (RO - author: Livia Popescu, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)