[JURIST] The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court [official website] on Tuesday ordered the legislature [official website] to commence impeachment proceedings against Vice President Michel Temer. Judge Marco Aurelio Mello overruled [BBC report] a previous rejection from a high ranking member of the Brazilian legislature. Brazil is in the midst of a political and economic crisis, tied to widespread corruption. Impeachment proceedings are already underway for Brazil’s current president, Dilma Rousseff. Until recently, Temer was viewed as the likely successor to Rousseff, and he has met with a number of political officials in recent months to discuss the structure of a new government [NYT report]. The impeachment proceedings against Temer accuse him of the same charges [Guardian report] levied against Rousseff, including the manipulation of national budget figures. The decision on Rousseff’s impeachment is expected mid-month. The ruling to initiate impeachment proceedings against Temer can be appealed against and overruled by a majority vote by the full Supreme Court.

Brazil’s political establishment [JURIST news archive] has experienced turmoil of late as many powerful politicians, including former presidents, face allegations of corruption and misappropriation of state assets. Earlier this month a judge for the Brazilian Supreme Court upheld a ruling [JURIST report] blocking former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking a ministry post. Lula was charged with money laundering and misrepresentation of assets [JURIST report] involving a luxury apartment in the beachfront city of Guarujá. In December, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled on two measures to set the stage for impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff [JURIST report].