Article 135

The Constitutional Court shall be composed of fifteen judges, one third of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Republic, one third by Parliament in joint session and one third by the higher ordinary and administrative courts. The judges of the Constitutional Court shall be chosen from among members of the higher ordinary and administrative courts, including those in retirement, full university professors of law and lawyers with at least twenty years of practice. Judges of the Constitutional Court shall be appointed for a term of nine years, beginning in each case from the day of their oath of office, and may not be re-appointed. At the expiry of their term, constitutional judges shall cease from office and their functions. The Court shall, in accordance with rules established by law, elect a President from among its members, who shall remain in office for three years and may be re-elected, subject in any case to the expiry of his or her term as a judge. The office of constitutional judge shall be incompatible with membership of Parliament or a Regional Council, the practice of the legal profession, and with any other appointment or office specified by law. In impeachment proceedings against the President of the Republic there shall sit, in addition to the ordinary judges of the Court, sixteen members chosen by lot from a list of citizens meeting the eligibility requirements for Senators, which Parliament shall draw up every nine years by means of an election held according to the same procedure established for the appointment of the ordinary judges.