Qatar- Brazil's Largest Party Quits Government

3/30/2016 8:59:38 AM

(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) Brasilia March 30 (QNA) - Brazil's largest party announced it was leaving President Dilma Rousseff's governing coalition and pulling its members from her government a departure that sharply raises the odds she could be impeached in a matter of months.
The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) took just a few minutes to decide unanimously in a packed leadership meeting that its six ministers in Rousseff's Cabinet and all other party members with government appointments must resign immediately.
Under Brazil's presidential system Rousseff will remain in office but the break cripples her fight against impeachment proceedings in Congress which could put Vice President Michel Temer leader of the PMDB in the presidential seat.
Rousseff has denied any wrongdoing and called the impeachment efforts a coup to oust her ruling Workers' Party (PT).
The opposition is pressing to impeach her for allegedly breaking budget laws to boost spending in the run-up to her 2014 re-election.
Their efforts gained steam as more than 1 million Brazilians took to the streets this month to protest at the worst recession in decades and a vast corruption scandal at state oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA) that has reached the president's inner circle.
The loss of Rousseff's main coalition partner may prompt smaller parties to abandon the government.
It would be Brazil's first impeachment since former President Fernando Collor de Mello was put on trial in the Senate in 1992 for corruption. (QNA)

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