BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on Monday sacked the health minister, a member of junior coalition partner the Free Democrats, in a move analysts said may cause the government to split.

The row between Gyurcsany's Socialists and the smaller Alliance of Free Democrats, both reeling from poor poll ratings, spells the end of Hungary's economic reforms, may imperil its budget deficit cuts and possibly see the prime minister ousted.

Although the parties have served three terms together, from 1994-1998 and from 2002 through elections in 2006 to the present day in a frequently tetchy relationship, the Free Democrats may finally decide to quit at a meeting later on Monday.