Brazilian Senate stalls update to 1950 Impeachment Law

A legislative proposal to update Brazil’s 1950 Impeachment Law has remained stalled in the Senate for nearly nine months. The bill, introduced in 2023 by Senator Rodrigo Pacheco, seeks to specify crimes of responsibility for the President and Vice President, including acts against national sovereignty, democracy, and budgetary laws.

Key provisions of the proposal include a 30-day deadline for analyzing impeachment requests, after which complaints would be archived if the period expires. The text was originally drafted by a commission of jurists led by Ricardo Lewandowski.

The legislative delay follows a period of tension between the Senate and the Supreme Federal Court. Following a decision by Justice Gilmar Mendes, which restricted the ability to initiate impeachment proceedings against members of the Court and required a two-thirds majority for approval, the Senate sought to reclaim its legislative prerogatives. While some aspects of the judicial decision were suspended, the debate over the reform continues within the Constitution and Justice Committee.