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Brazilian supreme court rules Rousseff's impeachment process to continue

Xinhua, December 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) ruled Thursday that the process of impeaching President Dilma Rousseff be continued but the Senate should review any decision made by the Chamber of Deputies and hold its own decisive vote.

The STF made the decision after reviewing the matter for two days, which will come as a blow to the president, according to national daily O Globo.

The STF agreed that the Senate can accept or reject the impeachment by a simple majority, rather than a two-third one, potentially making it easier for Rousseff to have a proceeding thrown out.

The country's constitution stipulates that the impeachment of a sitting president requires a two-third majority in the Chamber and the Senate.

Rousseff's supporters in the Workers' Party believe that there is a far better chance of her staying in office if both of Congress need to vote for her ouster.

Furthermore, O Globo reported that the STF has canceled a secret ballot organized by the Chamber of Deputies to appoint parliamentarians to a committee investigating the motives of the impeachment.

A majority of the judges rejected the validity of the secret ballot, meaning the committee will have to be re-appointed. Endi