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| Could Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff be impeached? | Could Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff be impeached? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A congressional committee in Brazil has recommended impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff for allegedly manipulating government accounts. | A congressional committee in Brazil has recommended impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff for allegedly manipulating government accounts. |
| Ms Rousseff faces charges of breaking budgetary laws ahead of her re-election for a second term in October 2014. | Ms Rousseff faces charges of breaking budgetary laws ahead of her re-election for a second term in October 2014. |
| Millions of Brazilians have called for her impeachment. | |
| Here we take a closer look at the problems in Brazil and the details of the impeachment proceedings. | |
| What is Ms Rousseff accused of? | What is Ms Rousseff accused of? |
| President Rousseff is accused of violating fiscal laws by allegedly using funds from state banks to cover budget shortfalls. | President Rousseff is accused of violating fiscal laws by allegedly using funds from state banks to cover budget shortfalls. |
| She is alleged to have juggled public funds to make her government's economic performance appear better than it was to increase her chances of re-election to a second term. | She is alleged to have juggled public funds to make her government's economic performance appear better than it was to increase her chances of re-election to a second term. |
| Her critics say she violated Brazil's financial accountability laws and should be stripped of her office. | Her critics say she violated Brazil's financial accountability laws and should be stripped of her office. |
| Ms Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing and says the impeachment proceedings are tantamount to a coup d'etat. | Ms Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing and says the impeachment proceedings are tantamount to a coup d'etat. |
| Who wants her gone? | Who wants her gone? |
| The petition to impeach President Rousseff was made by three lawyers, including 93-year-old Helio Bicudo, a former member of Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party turned opposition activist. | The petition to impeach President Rousseff was made by three lawyers, including 93-year-old Helio Bicudo, a former member of Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party turned opposition activist. |
| Mr Bicudo said the Workers' Party had gone from being "a socialist party created to help people to serving the interests of a few who seek power". | Mr Bicudo said the Workers' Party had gone from being "a socialist party created to help people to serving the interests of a few who seek power". |
| Their petition was accepted by the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha. | Their petition was accepted by the speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha. |
| Mr Cunha, a former ally of Ms Rousseff, has become one of her fiercest critics. | Mr Cunha, a former ally of Ms Rousseff, has become one of her fiercest critics. |
| Critics of Mr Cunha say he is a political opportunist who is only trying to get his PMDB party into power. | Critics of Mr Cunha say he is a political opportunist who is only trying to get his PMDB party into power. |
| They point to the fact that under Brazil's constitution, Vice-President Michel Temer - who is also from the PMDB party - would become acting president if Ms Rousseff were to be suspended or impeached. | They point to the fact that under Brazil's constitution, Vice-President Michel Temer - who is also from the PMDB party - would become acting president if Ms Rousseff were to be suspended or impeached. |
| They also say that Mr Cunha lacks credibility because prosecutors have accused him of taking $5m (£3.5m) in bribes from companies seeking to secure contracts with state-oil giant Petrobras. | They also say that Mr Cunha lacks credibility because prosecutors have accused him of taking $5m (£3.5m) in bribes from companies seeking to secure contracts with state-oil giant Petrobras. |
| He has denied the charges and refused to step down from his post. | He has denied the charges and refused to step down from his post. |
| What do Brazilians think? | What do Brazilians think? |
| Ms Rousseff's approval ratings have plummeted from their all-time high of 79% in March 2013 to about 10% in March 2016. | Ms Rousseff's approval ratings have plummeted from their all-time high of 79% in March 2013 to about 10% in March 2016. |
| There have been mass demonstrations in major Brazilian cities demanding that she resign. | There have been mass demonstrations in major Brazilian cities demanding that she resign. |
| But there have also been smaller rallies in her support. | But there have also been smaller rallies in her support. |
| Many Brazilians say they are fed up with the high levels of corruption in Brazilian politics. | Many Brazilians say they are fed up with the high levels of corruption in Brazilian politics. |
| But with the three politicians next in line to succeed Ms Rousseff also under investigation for either alleged mismanagement or alleged corruption, no party seems untouched by the allegations. | But with the three politicians next in line to succeed Ms Rousseff also under investigation for either alleged mismanagement or alleged corruption, no party seems untouched by the allegations. |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| The full lower house of Congress will discuss Ms Rousseff's impeachment starting on 15 of April. | The full lower house of Congress will discuss Ms Rousseff's impeachment starting on 15 of April. |
| They are due to start voting on 17 April on whether the impeachment process should proceed. | They are due to start voting on 17 April on whether the impeachment process should proceed. |
| If two thirds vote in favour, the matter will be discussed in the upper house, the Senate. | If two thirds vote in favour, the matter will be discussed in the upper house, the Senate. |
| The Senate will then have to vote on whether it reckons an impeachment trial is warranted. | The Senate will then have to vote on whether it reckons an impeachment trial is warranted. |
| If it votes in favour, the trial in the Senate will go ahead presided over by the head of the Supreme Court, Ricardo Lewandowski. | If it votes in favour, the trial in the Senate will go ahead presided over by the head of the Supreme Court, Ricardo Lewandowski. |
| Finally, the Senate will vote on whether to impeach Ms Rousseff. | Finally, the Senate will vote on whether to impeach Ms Rousseff. |
| What are the key numbers? | What are the key numbers? |
| There are 512 members in the lower house of Congress. | There are 512 members in the lower house of Congress. |
| In order for the impeachment process to proceed to the Senate, two thirds of the lower house members will have to vote in favour. That is 342. | In order for the impeachment process to proceed to the Senate, two thirds of the lower house members will have to vote in favour. That is 342. |
| In the Senate, 41 out of the 81 senators will have to back the impeachment trial for it to go ahead. | In the Senate, 41 out of the 81 senators will have to back the impeachment trial for it to go ahead. |
| It takes 54 senators to impeach Ms Rousseff. | It takes 54 senators to impeach Ms Rousseff. |
| How strong is Ms Rousseff's backing? | How strong is Ms Rousseff's backing? |
| Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party has 57 members in the lower house of Congress, who are expected to back the president. She needs 172 votes to block the impeachment at the next stage. | Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party has 57 members in the lower house of Congress, who are expected to back the president. She needs 172 votes to block the impeachment at the next stage. |
| The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which two weeks left the governing coalition, has given its members a free vote. | The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), which two weeks left the governing coalition, has given its members a free vote. |
| The party, the largest in the lower house with 69 members, said it would define its position on the matter later this week. | The party, the largest in the lower house with 69 members, said it would define its position on the matter later this week. |
| The leader of the second-largest party, the centre-right PP, said its members were split on the issue and that some would vote for and others against the impeachment. | The leader of the second-largest party, the centre-right PP, said its members were split on the issue and that some would vote for and others against the impeachment. |
| Polls conducted by local media suggest more than 100 members out of the 513 members of the lower house are still undecided. | Polls conducted by local media suggest more than 100 members out of the 513 members of the lower house are still undecided. |
| Both sides are expected to lobby hard for their wanted outcome in the coming days and last minute changes of heart make the final result very hard to predict. | Both sides are expected to lobby hard for their wanted outcome in the coming days and last minute changes of heart make the final result very hard to predict. |
| Who would replace Ms Rousseff if she was impeached? | Who would replace Ms Rousseff if she was impeached? |
| Under the Brazilian constitution, Vice-President Temer is set to take over as interim president if Ms Rousseff is suspended. | Under the Brazilian constitution, Vice-President Temer is set to take over as interim president if Ms Rousseff is suspended. |
| However, Mr Temer himself is also facing impeachment proceedings over the same allegations of manipulating government accounts as Ms Rousseff. | However, Mr Temer himself is also facing impeachment proceedings over the same allegations of manipulating government accounts as Ms Rousseff. |
| The second in line to take over from her is House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, who is being investigated over allegations of taking multi-million dollars in bribes. | The second in line to take over from her is House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, who is being investigated over allegations of taking multi-million dollars in bribes. |
| Next in line is Renan Calheiros, head of the Senate. But he, too, is under investigation in connection with a massive corruption scandal at state-oil company Petrobras. | Next in line is Renan Calheiros, head of the Senate. But he, too, is under investigation in connection with a massive corruption scandal at state-oil company Petrobras. |
| All three, who are from the PMDB party, deny the allegations against them. | All three, who are from the PMDB party, deny the allegations against them. |
| Could it all just go away? | Could it all just go away? |
| Yes, if one third of the lower house vote against impeachment proceedings continuing, the process will be shelved and Ms Rousseff will continue in office. | Yes, if one third of the lower house vote against impeachment proceedings continuing, the process will be shelved and Ms Rousseff will continue in office. |
| Ms Rousseff also has two chances to appeal. | Ms Rousseff also has two chances to appeal. |
| If the lower house decides to pass the matter on to the Senate, she can appeal at that point to the Supreme Court. | If the lower house decides to pass the matter on to the Senate, she can appeal at that point to the Supreme Court. |
| And she can appeal if the Senate should impeach her, which she has already said she plans on doing should the process go that far and the vote go against her. | And she can appeal if the Senate should impeach her, which she has already said she plans on doing should the process go that far and the vote go against her. |