STF Orders Immediate Loss of Carla Zambelli's Parliamentary Mandate Amid Legal Controversy
The STF has ruled for the immediate removal of Deputy Carla Zambelli from office following her convictions and incarceration, overturning the previous Chamber vote that retained her mandate.
- • Minister Alexandre de Moraes voted to annul the Chamber's vote and order immediate loss of Carla Zambelli's mandate.
- • The Chamber had rejected the cassation of Zambelli’s mandate despite her criminal convictions and prison sentence.
- • Zambelli was arrested in Rome while fleeing a prison sentence related to illegal access to the National Justice Council's system.
- • Brazil requested Zambelli’s extradition from Italy; a hearing is set for September 18, 2025.
- • Zambelli's legal troubles include a 10-year sentence and convictions for illegal firearm possession and coercion.
Key details
On December 12, 2025, Supreme Federal Court (STF) Minister Alexandre de Moraes voted to uphold the immediate loss of Deputy Carla Zambelli's mandate following her criminal convictions and subsequent incarceration. Moraes annulled the previous vote by the Chamber of Deputies that had maintained Zambelli's parliamentary position. He instructed the Chamber's president, Hugo Motta, to appoint her substitute, Adilson Barroso, within 48 hours, emphasizing the judiciary's authority to determine mandate loss post-conviction and leaving the Chamber with the formal role of declaring such loss.
Despite Zambelli's convictions, the Chamber's plenary had rejected the cassation of her mandate on December 11, with 227 votes in favor and 110 against — falling short of the required 257 votes. STF jurisprudence classifies mandate loss as automatic following a definitive prison sentence, thus requiring only a formal act from the Chamber. Zambelli was arrested in Rome in July 2025 while attempting to flee a warrant issued by Moraes; she sought political asylum in Italy after receiving a 10-year prison sentence for orchestrating illegal access to the National Justice Council's electronic systems in 2023, aiming to issue a false arrest warrant against Moraes.
Furthermore, Zambelli faced an additional conviction for illegal firearm possession and coercion in August 2025, strengthening grounds for her extradition. The Brazilian government filed an extradition request in June, with an Italian court hearing scheduled for September 18, 2025, to decide on her return to Brazil.
The voting on Moraes’ motion began at 11 a.m., with other STF First Panel ministers, including Cármen Lúcia, Flávio Dino, and Cristiano Zanin, set to convene later to ratify the decision. Moraes reiterated that the judiciary handles the legal basis for mandate loss, while the Chamber's vote is a procedural confirmation.
Currently, the situation marks a significant judicial-political development in Brazil, highlighting the interplay between judicial authority and legislative decisions in cases involving high-profile politicians and criminal convictions. Zambelli’s mandate has been legally annulled, pending formal substitution and ongoing extradition proceedings.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.