Brasilia, December 21 (teleSUR-RHC)-- President Rousseff improved her odds of staying in office when she announced the replacement of pro-austerity Finance Minister Joaquim Levy with a member of her party’s left wing, the Senate leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party told Reuters on Sunday.

“A majority of PMDB senators are in favor of the president finishing her term,” said Senator Eunicio Oliveira. “What they want is for her to change her economic policies to get the country growing again.”

Rousseff is currently facing the toughest battle of her political career, just a year after winning re-election. On December 8th, a majority of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies voted to go ahead with impeachment proceedings. The president’s critics accuse her of manipulating state finances to allow for more spending ahead of last year’s election.

​Rousseff supporters claim the impeachment drive is effectively an attempt at a “parliamentary coup,” led by lawmakers who could not defeat her at the ballot box. The senator heading up the drive, opposition leader Eduardo Cunha, is himself being investigated for corruption.

However, even allies of the president have expressed frustration with her administration. Though hailing from the left, since reelection she has tacked to the right, cutting government spending in an attempt to address rising debts and an economy predicted to not grow again until 2017.

Speaking to Reuters, Senator Oliveira said Rousseff appeared to be addressing the concerns of her left-wing critics. On December 18th, Rousseff replaced Levy, the finance minister who oversaw cuts to popular social programs, with Nelson Barbosa, a leftist economist and outspoken opponent of austerity.

“She has done nothing dishonest,” said Oliveira. “Only the economic crisis can bring her down, by fueling social discontent.”