Brazil: Group Favoring Impeachment of Supreme Court Judges Grows After Election
Listen to the story
A group of Brazilian senators who support the impeachment of judges from the Supreme Federal Court (STF) has grown to 49 members after the recent election.
The STF is Brazil's highest court. Its judges are known in Brazil as ministros.
In Brazil, impeaching an STF judge means formally removing that judge from the court. This requires approval from the Senate, the upper house of Brazil's Congress.
To approve an impeachment, the Senate needs a two-thirds majority of its members to vote in favor.
After the election, the pro-impeachment group now has 49 senators. However, this is still five votes short of the number needed to reach the two-thirds majority.
The newly elected senators will take their seats in 2027, when the new Senate term begins.
This growing group shows rising tension between Brazil's legislative branch, which includes the Senate, and its judicial branch, which includes the STF.
Some senators have accused STF judges of overstepping their power. Supporters of the court argue that the judges are simply doing their constitutional duty.
The debate over impeaching STF judges has become an important political issue in Brazil in recent years.
It remains unclear whether the pro-impeachment group will gain the extra votes it needs before 2027.
Vocabulary8 words
- impeachment
- a formal process to remove someone from an important job
- Supreme Federal Court
- the highest court in Brazil
- ministros
- the official name for judges of Brazil's top court
- Senate
- one part of Brazil's Congress, made of elected senators
- two-thirds majority
- a large share of votes, more than half, needed to approve something important
- term
- the period of time someone holds a political job
- legislative
- relating to the part of government that makes laws
- judicial
- relating to the part of government that includes courts and judges
📚 Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. To remove some STF judges 2. 5 3. True
✅ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going — book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A group of Brazilian senators who support the _____ of judges from the Supreme Federal Court has grown to 49 members.
The STF is Brazil's highest court. Its judges are known as _____.
This requires approval from the _____, the upper house of Brazil's Congress.
To approve an impeachment, the Senate needs a _____ of its members to vote in favor.
The pro-impeachment group now has _____ senators.
This is still five votes short of the number needed to reach the _____.
The newly elected senators will take their seats in _____.
This growing group shows rising tension between Brazil's _____ branch and its judicial branch.
Some senators have accused STF judges of overstepping their _____.
🎓 Enjoyed this story?
Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.
