Brazil's presidential impeachment process

The lower house of Brazil's congress has launched impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff.

Anti-government protestors try to rip apart a Workers' Party flag during a demonstration outside Planalto presidential palace. Source: AAP

STEPS IN PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT UNDER BRAZIL'S CONSTITUTION:

* 65-member committee of Chamber of Deputies, or lower house, decides if impeachment bid is valid

- house votes on committee decision; two-thirds of 513 congressmen must vote for it

- Rousseff needs 171 votes or abstentions to block impeachment

* If Rousseff loses lower house vote, Senate votes on whether to go ahead with putting her on trial

- If they vote to do so, Rousseff is suspended at the start of the trial and Vice President Michel Temer becomes acting president

- Senate has 180 days to conduct its trial, chaired by president of Supreme Court

* If two-thirds of 81-seat Senate, or 54 senators, vote for impeachment, Rousseff is stripped of her political rights and cannot run for elected office for eight years

- Vice President Temer is confirmed as president for remainder of her term ending December 31, 2018.