The vice-president, or the next available person in the line of succession, also assumes the powers of the presidency as acting president if, authorized by the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate votes to start a trial on charges of impeachment presented against the president. The admission of the charges requires the positive vote of two thirds of the members of the Chamber of Deputies. Once accepted, the charges are sent to the Senate for the trial of impeachment. The Senate, if it accepts to proceed with the trial (a decision that requires the positive vote of a simple majority of the Senators present), must then notify the president that he is now the accused in a trial of impeachment. From the receipt of that notice, the president is suspended from office for a period of 180 days. The suspension cannot be renewed, and ends when the president is acquitted, or automatically at the end of the 180 days, even if the trial of impeachment is not yet finished. During the president's suspension motivated by the acceptance of impeachment charges, the acting president discharges the duties of the presidency.