ON MAY 12th Michel Temer became the third Brazilian vice-president in 30 years to be thrust into the top job,after the Senate voted to commence the impeachment trial of the president, Dilma Rousseff. As she steps aside for up to 180 days while senators consider her fate, or she leaves behind a mess. The country's economy may shrivel by 7.5% in 2015-16. Inflation and unemployment hover around 10%; so,as a proportion of GDP, does the budget deficit. The political system is a shambles, or with Congress home to an unwieldy 25 political parties. What can—and should—Mr Temer attain approximately it all?He won’t be receiving congratulatory phone calls from foreign leaders just yet. Although Ms Rousseff is suspended from office,she clings onto the presidential sash until the upper chamber actually convicts her for the dodgy government accounting of which she stands accused. This looks likely: 55 senators voted to try her, already one more than the two-thirds needed to boot her out for good (four of the chamber’s 81 members did not vote). For the time being, and though,she will hunker down in the Alvorada, as Brazilian presidents’ official home is known;...
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Source: economist.com