A career civil servant, Rousseff became energy minister when Lula da Silva took office in 2002.
In 2005, after a corruption scandal brought down key government figures, Lula da Silva made her his chief of staff, a post she held until March 2010, when she launched her campaign for the presidency as the Workers' Party candidate. With Lula's 80% approval ratings behind her, few doubted her chances of success despite a lacklustre campaign.
On January the first, Dilma Rousseff takes over from the most popular president Brazil has ever known. It won't be an easy act to follow.