Brazil’s steps towards impeachment

1 LOWER HOUSE Creates 65-member all-party
committee to decide within 10 days whether
impeachment bid is valid

2 INDICTMENT Full lower house votes on committee’s recommendation. Two-thirds of 513 congressmen must back impeachment – if President Dilma Rousseff (right) secures 171 votes or abstentions she remains in office

3 SENATE If Rousseff loses lower house vote she must stand down. Vice President Michel Temer (below) becomes interim president. Senate votes on whether to put her on trial

4 IMPEACHMENT Senate has 180 days to conduct
trial, chaired by president of Supreme Court.
If two-thirds of 81-seat Senate (54 senators)
vote for impeachment, Rousseff will be banned from elected office for eight years. Temer confirmed as president for rest of her term, ending in December 2018

Source: Agência Brasil

Pictures: Dorivan Marinho, Givaldo Barbos via Newscom