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Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has sacked a junior minister from the right-wing League party in his uneasy coalition populist government who is under investigation for corruption.

A cabinet meeting Wednesday decided to remove Armando Siri, a deputy minister for transport who has denied any wrongdoing.

Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said after the meeting that "politicians should take action before the judiciary does" in investigations concerning corruption and organized crime.

Di Maio, who heads the populist 5-Star Movement in Conte's coalition, had earlier called for Siri's resignation. But the League party had stood by Siri, saying it had "full confidence" in him.

The former rival parties formed a coalition government last year.