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Weekly Report - 15 October 2015 (WR-15-41)

BRAZIL: Supreme court injunction delays impeachment plans

Under Brazilian law, it is the sole prerogative of the speaker of the federal lower chamber of congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against a head of state. However, Eduardo Cunha, the current speaker of the lower chamber, and other opposition deputies in favour of impeachment, had designed a ruse to circumvent that particular legal obstacle. According to local media, Cunha planned to reject officially one of the impeachment requests before the chamber; the opposition would then appeal that decision. Such an appeal would only require a simple majority to overturn Cunha’s ruling and would therefore authorise the establishment of a committee to investigate impeachment proceedings. But on 13 October, the federal supreme court (STF) intervened, complicating Cunha’s plans and providing some valuable time for the government to mount a further defence.

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