Brazilian lower house of Parliament creates impeachment committee over Rousseff's case

Brazil's lower house of Parliament on Thursday voted to establish a special commission in charge of the impeachment process of President Dilma Rousseff.

With 433 votes in favor and just one vote against, the commission was set up to investigate supposed administrative irregularities by Rousseff and determine whether they are worth formal impeachment proceedings.

The commission is made up of 65 deputies from 24 parties, proportional to their total number of deputies. Most members belong to parties allied to the government but division among the parties added to uncertainties.

Rousseff's Workers' Party (PT) and its main government ally, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), both have eight members, while the main opposition party, the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) has six.

Later in the day, a special meeting will pick the president and the secretary of the committee.

According to Eduardo Cunha, president of the Chamber of Deputies, the consideration of the impeachment process should take approximately 45 days.

The first case for an impeachment was brought up within Chamber of Deputies back in October, with Rousseff being accused of using illegal financial operations to finance her second presidential campaign.

Should the commission find it necessary to begin an impeachment process, its findings will be present to the Chamber. A two-thirds majority of deputies, or 342 out of 513, will have to vote to open proceedings. However, the Senate would ultimately be in charge of judging Rousseff and potentially impeaching her.

Furthermore, the senators are not obliged to abide by the lower house's decision, leaving open the possibility of the Senate considering the process to be null and void.

Should it open proceedings, the Senate will need a two-thirds majority, or 54 out of 81 senators, if the president should go. Endit