Italy's premier has removed the equal opportunities brief from a deputy minister after she criticized gay rights groups.

Enrico Letta said in a statement Saturday that he was revoking Michaela Biancofiore's portfolio for equal opportunity, sports and youth politics and assigning her to another government role. The two-line statement gave no reason for the shakeup.

But Italian media said the move was linked to interviews in which Biancofiore, a member of former premier Silvio Berlusconi's party, criticized gay rights groups for defending their own interests and not protesting the murders of women or speaking out for police injured in the line of duty.

Letta heads a cross-party government of long-time political foes, formed after February elections ended with no clear winner. He has urged ministers to behave "soberly."