Maia says he will not set a deadline for voting on Cunha's removal from office.
“We will put it to a vote when the process is ready for it,” said Rodrigo Maia, the new Speaker of the House, when asked if Cunha's removal could be voted on by the plenary this week; “I am here neither to help nor to harm Eduardo,” he added; before reaching the plenary, Cunha's process depends on a decision by the Constitution and Justice Committee; yesterday, the committee postponed, once again, the vote on Cunha's appeal against the decision of the Ethics Council, which approved the representation of PSOL and Rede requesting the removal of the PMDB member from office.
The new president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ), has not set a deadline for the final vote on the impeachment process against former House Speaker Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ). When asked about the case, Maia praised Cunha's leadership, said he helped elect him, and stressed that the outcome of the process should occur "within the rules of the House" and when there is "an adequate quorum."
Congressman Rodrigo Maia said that his victory was only possible thanks to the support of the opposition parties. (Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/Agência Brasil)
“We will put it to a vote when [the process] is ready for it,” Maia said when asked if Cunha’s removal could be voted on by the plenary this week. “I am here neither to help nor to harm Eduardo,” he added.
Before reaching the plenary, Cunha's process depends on a decision by the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ). Yesterday (13), the committee postponed, once again, the vote on Cunha's appeal against the Ethics Council's decision, which approved the representation of PSOL and Rede that asks for the removal of the PMDB member's mandate.
Support
Shortly after taking office as Speaker of the House, Rodrigo Maia said that his victory was only possible thanks to the support of the opposition parties to the government of interim president Michel Temer. “Without the left, I wouldn't have won. The result of the vote proved that it's possible to build a new era. We had votes from both the government and the opposition.”
In exchange for the support he received from the parties opposed to Temer, Maia said he would guarantee the rights of minorities. He stated, however, that the parties that supported him in the second round of the election against Rogério Rosso (PSD-DF) did not present any suggestions for priority agenda items.
Priorities
Asked about the voting agenda, Maia said that the priorities are the proposed constitutional amendment (PEC) on the public spending cap, the extension of state debt with the Union, the PEC on court-ordered payments, the bill that changes the rules for exploiting the pre-salt layer, and the pension reform, which is still under discussion between the Presidential Palace and labor unions.
Echoing the speech of interim president Michel Temer, Rodrigo Maia said that the Chamber of Deputies will have to debate and vote on issues considered unpopular. “Deputies are elected not only to increase spending and be applauded. We are also here to vote on things that are unpopular,” he said. “It may be unpopular now, but we have to look to the future.”
Rodrigo Maia also acknowledged the need for Parliament to have the "courage" to approve political reform. "We need to have a major debate in this House because the current political system has collapsed. In a consensual and joint manner, we will have to debate political reform and confront this failed model."