Brazil's Dilma Rousseff reshuffles cabinet to shore up support Published duration 2 October 2015

image copyright Getty Images image caption Ms Rousseff's popularity has slumped to just 8%

Embattled Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has closed eight ministries and reshuffled her cabinet in an effort to cut costs and shore up support.

Ministers will have their pay cut by 10% to further reduce spending.

Ms Rousseff increased the number of ministers from centre-right coalition partner the PMDB in a bid for Congress support for austerity measures.

Brazil is facing its worst economic crisis for decades, leaving Ms Rousseff's popularity at a record low.

"Today we are making a first and major step toward the reorganisation of the federal public administration. We are beginning by reducing eight ministries," Ms Rouseff said.

The reshuffle would "guarantee the political stability of the country" and "strengthen relations between the parties and members of parliament who support the government", she added.

The president increased the number of ministers in Brazil's congress from the PMDB, the most powerful party in the ruling coalition with her leftist Worker's Party.

Correspondents say Ms Rousseff boosted the PMDB's share of power in order to increase support for her economic plans and ward off moves to impeach her.

Congress has been boycotting many of her attempts to implement austerity measures and achieve fiscal balance.

Ms Rousseff made no changes to her economic team, a sign that she will continue to pursue austerity in order to reverse the country's deficit.

She also announced the creation of a Permanent Commission for State Reform designed to make the government more efficient.

"This is first, big step towards the reorganisation of the federal administration," she said.

Earlier this month the government announced a $7bn (£4.5bn) package of spending cuts aimed at plugging the huge black hole in the country's 2016 budget.

At the same time, it unveiled plans to raise another $8bn by bringing back an unpopular financial transactions tax that was abolished eight years ago.

Failure to pull the country's economy out of recession and a huge corruption scandal have left Ms Rousseff's public approval at just 8%.

Her critics also accuse her of policy mistakes during her first term, including interventions in the energy market and a failure to bring inflation under control.