Senator for life
Encyclopedia
A senator for life is a member of the senate
or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature
who has life tenure
. , 7 Italian Senators
out of 322, 4 out of the 47 Burundian Senators
and all members of the British House of Lords
(apart from the 26 Lords Spiritual
appointed until retirement at the age of 70) have lifetime tenure. Several South American
countries once granted lifetime membership to former presidents but have since abolished the practice.
, a senatore a vita is a member of the Italian Senate
appointed by the President of the Italian Republic
"for outstanding patriotic merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field". Former Presidents of the Republic are ex officio life senators.
A limit of five senators for life, excluding former Presidents, is established by the Italian constitution, though there is a still unresolved debate as to whether each President of the Republic has the right to name five senators for life, or if five is the maximum allowed number of senators for life. Until 1984 this last interpretation was considered correct, but in that year President Alessandro Pertini applied the second interpretation of the Constitution, and since then no measures have been taken to clarify the situation, made even more important by the key role senators for life had during the second Prodi Government. They have the same powers of elected senators, including the right to vote and be elected to the Presidency of the Senate. In addition, their mandate does not end with the dissolution of a Senate, allowing them to sit in any elected Senate for their whole lifetime.
Every President of the Italian Republic has made at least one appointment of a senator for life, with the exception of Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
. Current President Giorgio Napolitano
appointed Professor (now Prime Minister) Mario Monti
on November 9, 2011. The president who appointed the highest number of senators for life was Luigi Einaudi
, who made eight nominations during his term.
Former lifetime senators:
, former heads of state serve in the Senate
for life. At present there are four of these: Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, Pierre Buyoya
, and Domitien Ndayizeye
.
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
grants lifetime membership in the Senate
to former Presidents of the Republic
. As of 2011, there are no former presidents alive.
, except for those who were impeached from office, are granted the speaking-but-non-voting position of senator
for life.
permits former Presidents of the country to become members of the Senate
if they wish, by submitting a request to the Supreme Court.
, the last senator for life, resigned his seat in 1999.
, during the Third Republic
, the Senate
was composed of 300 members, 75 of which were inamovible ("unremovable"). Introduced in 1875, the status was abolished for new senators in 1884, but maintained for those already in office. Émile Deshayes de Marcère
, the last surviving sénateur inamovible, died in 1918. Overall there had been 116 lifetime senators.
In 2005, there was questioning about the status of former Presidents of the Republic. According to the constitution of the Fifth Republic
, former presidents are de jure members of the Constitutional Council
, which poses a problem of possible partiality. Some members of Parliament and commentators suggested that it should be replaced by a life membership in the Senate
. This proposal was, however, not enacted.
instituted the membership by right (senator de drept) in the Senate
for:
The membership by right was maintained under the 1938 Constitution
and it was abolished together with the Senate on July 15, 1946, by the Communist Party
-dominated government of Petru Groza
.
The current constitution of Romania
, although it re-established the bicameral parliament in 1991, did not reinstate the office of senator by right.
s of a number of countries in South America
have granted former presidents the right to be senator for life (senador vitalicio), possibly recalling the entirely unelected Senate of Simón Bolívar's
theory (see Bolivar's tricameralism). Most of these countries have since excised these provisions as they are increasingly seen as antidemocratic. The Constitution of Paraguay still has such a provision. Former presidents are permitted to speak but not vote. Probably the most familiar case is that of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet
(1998-2002) whose parliamentary immunity
protected him from prosecution for human rights violations until the Chilean Supreme Court
revoked it in 2000.
There were about 250 senators of the Empire of Brazil:
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
who has life tenure
Life tenure
A life tenure or service during good behaviour is a term of office that lasts for the office holder's lifetime , unless the office holder is removed from office for cause under extraordinary circumstances or chooses to resign.Judges and members of some upper chambers have life tenure...
. , 7 Italian Senators
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
out of 322, 4 out of the 47 Burundian Senators
Senate of Burundi
The Senate is the upper chamber of Parliament in Burundi. It consists of no fewer than 37 and no more than 54 members who serve 5-year terms....
and all members of the British House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
(apart from the 26 Lords Spiritual
Lords Spiritual
The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal. The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is not represented by spiritual peers...
appointed until retirement at the age of 70) have lifetime tenure. Several South American
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
countries once granted lifetime membership to former presidents but have since abolished the practice.
Overview
In ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a senatore a vita is a member of the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
appointed by the President of the Italian Republic
President of the Italian Republic
The President of the Italian Republic is the head of state of Italy and, as such, is intended to represent national unity and guarantee that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The president's term of office lasts for seven years....
"for outstanding patriotic merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field". Former Presidents of the Republic are ex officio life senators.
A limit of five senators for life, excluding former Presidents, is established by the Italian constitution, though there is a still unresolved debate as to whether each President of the Republic has the right to name five senators for life, or if five is the maximum allowed number of senators for life. Until 1984 this last interpretation was considered correct, but in that year President Alessandro Pertini applied the second interpretation of the Constitution, and since then no measures have been taken to clarify the situation, made even more important by the key role senators for life had during the second Prodi Government. They have the same powers of elected senators, including the right to vote and be elected to the Presidency of the Senate. In addition, their mandate does not end with the dissolution of a Senate, allowing them to sit in any elected Senate for their whole lifetime.
Every President of the Italian Republic has made at least one appointment of a senator for life, with the exception of Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro , Italian politician and magistrate, was the ninth President of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1999, and is currently a senator for life...
. Current President Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to...
appointed Professor (now Prime Minister) Mario Monti
Mario Monti
Mario Monti is an Italian economist and academic who is Prime Minister of Italy, as well as Minister of Economy and Finance, since November 2011. Monti served as a European Commissioner from 1995 to 2004, with responsibility for the Internal Market, Services, Customs and Taxation from 1995 to 1999...
on November 9, 2011. The president who appointed the highest number of senators for life was Luigi Einaudi
Luigi Einaudi
Luigi Einaudi , Cavaliere di Gran Croce decorato di Gran Cordone OMRI was an Italian politician and economist. He served as the second President of the Italian Republic between 1948 and 1955.-Early life:...
, who made eight nominations during his term.
List of Italian life senators
, there are seven in office:- Giulio AndreottiGiulio AndreottiGiulio Andreotti is an Italian politician of the now dissolved centrist Christian Democracy party. He served as the 42nd Prime Minister of Italy from 1972 to 1973, from 1976 to 1979 and from 1989 to 1992. He also served as Minister of the Interior , Defense Minister and Foreign Minister and he...
- years, appointed. - Carlo Azeglio CiampiCarlo Azeglio Ciampidr. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is an Italian politician and banker. He was the 73rd Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was the tenth President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006...
- years, former President. - Emilio ColomboEmilio ColomboEmilio Colombo is an Italian politician who was Prime Minister of Italy from 1970 to 1972. In addition to having held top positions in Italian governments, he was also active in European politics.-Biography:...
- years, appointed. - Rita Levi-MontalciniRita Levi-MontalciniRita Levi-Montalcini , Knight Grand Cross is an Italian neurologist who, together with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nerve growth factor...
- years, appointed. - Mario MontiMario MontiMario Monti is an Italian economist and academic who is Prime Minister of Italy, as well as Minister of Economy and Finance, since November 2011. Monti served as a European Commissioner from 1995 to 2004, with responsibility for the Internal Market, Services, Customs and Taxation from 1995 to 1999...
- years, appointed; also serving as Prime MinisterPrime minister of ItalyThe Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
. - Sergio PininfarinaSergio PininfarinaSergio Pininfarina is an Italian automobile designer, like his father Battista Farina. After joining his father at Carrozzeria Pininfarina, he quickly became integral to the company, and during his career oversaw many of the designs for which the company is famous...
- years, appointed. - Oscar Luigi ScalfaroOscar Luigi ScalfaroOscar Luigi Scalfaro , Italian politician and magistrate, was the ninth President of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1999, and is currently a senator for life...
- years, former President.
Former lifetime senators:
|
Giovanni Gronchi Giovanni Gronchi was a Christian Democratic Italian politician who became the third President of the Italian Republic in 1955, after Luigi Einaudi... Pasquale Jannaccone Pasquale Jannaccone was an Italian economist nominated senator for life by Luigi Einaudi in 1950.... Giovanni Leone Giovanni Leone was an Italian politician. He was the 38th Prime Minister of Italy from 21 June 1963 to 4 December 1963 and again from 24 June 1968 to 12 December 1968. He also served as the sixth President of the Republic from 1971 to 1978.-Biography:... Mario Luzi - Biography:Mario Luzi was born in Castello, near Sesto Fiorentino; his parents, Ciro Luzi and Margherita Papini hailed from Samprugnano and he spent his youth in Castello, where he started his primary school... Cesare Merzagora Cesare Merzagora was an Italian politician from Milan. He was President of the Italian Senate from 1953 to 1967, and was also temporarily acting as President of Italy in 1964, in the period between the resignation of Antonio Segni and the election of Giuseppe Saragat... Eugenio Montale Eugenio Montale was an Italian poet, prose writer, editor and translator, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1975.- Early years :... Giorgio Napolitano Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to... Pietro Nenni Pietro Sandro Nenni was an Italian socialist politician, the national secretary of the Italian Socialist Party and lifetime Senator since 1970. He was a recipient of the Stalin Peace Prize in 1951... Giuseppe Paratore Giuseppe Paratore was an Italian attorney and politician. He was President of the Italian Senate from 26 June 1952 to 24 March 1953. President Giovanni Gronchi appointed him senator for life on 9 November 1957.... Ferruccio Parri Ferruccio Parri was an Italian partisan and politician who served as the 43rd Prime Minister of Italy for several months in 1945. During the resistance he was known as Maurizio.-Biography:... Camilla Ravera Camilla Ravera was an Italian politician and the first female lifetime senator. Ravera participated in the founding of the Italian Communist Party in 1921.... |
Meuccio Ruini Meuccio Ruini was an Italian politician and lifetime senator .... Trilussa Carlo Alberto Salustri was an Italian dialect poet, better known by his pen name of Trilussa . He is best known for the poems, some of them sonnets, written in the dialect of Rome.-Biography:... Giuseppe Saragat Giuseppe Saragat was an Italian politician who was the fifth President of the Italian Republic from 1964 to 1971.Saragat was born in Turin, from Sardinian parents.... Antonio Segni Antonio Segni was an Italian politician who was the 35th Prime Minister of Italy , and the fourth President of the Italian Republic from 1962 to 1964... Giovanni Spadolini Giovanni Spadolini was a liberal Italian politician, the 45th Prime Minister of Italy, newspaper editor, journalist and a noted historian.-Biography:Spadolini was born in Florence.... Luigi Sturzo Don Luigi Sturzo was an Italian Catholic priest and politician. Known in his lifetime as a "clerical socialist," Sturzo is considered one of the fathers of Christian democracy. Sturzo was one of the founders of the Partito Popolare Italiano in 1919, but was forced into exile in 1924 with the rise... Paolo Emilio Taviani Paolo Emilio Taviani was an Italian political leader, economist and historian of the career of Christopher Columbus.... Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory... Leo Valiani Leo Valiani was an Italian politician and journalist.He was born in Rijeka , on the Adriatic, which is today in independent Croatia but was then a leading seaport for the largely landlocked Austro-Hungarian Empire... Vittorio Valletta Vittorio Valletta was an Italian industrialist and President of Fiat from 1946 to 1966.... Umberto Zanotti Bianco Umberto Zanotti Bianco was an Italian archaeologist, environmentalist and lifetime senator .... |
Burundi
In BurundiBurundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, former heads of state serve in the Senate
Senate of Burundi
The Senate is the upper chamber of Parliament in Burundi. It consists of no fewer than 37 and no more than 54 members who serve 5-year terms....
for life. At present there are four of these: Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza is a Burundian politician who was Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council in Burundi until November 10, 1976, and President from November 10, 1976 to September 3, 1987. While travelling abroad, Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état. He was replaced as president by...
, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, Pierre Buyoya
Pierre Buyoya
Major Pierre Buyoya is a Burundian politician who has ruled Burundi twice, from 1987 to 1993 and from 1996 to 2003...
, and Domitien Ndayizeye
Domitien Ndayizeye
Domitien Ndayizeye is a Burundian politician who was President of Burundi from 2003 to 2005. Of Hutu descent, he succeeded Pierre Buyoya—a Tutsi—as national president on April 30, 2003, after serving as Buyoya's vice-president for 18 months...
.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The 2006 constitutionConstitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the basic law governing the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Constitution has been changed and/or replaced several times since its independence in 1960.- Current Constitution :...
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
grants lifetime membership in the Senate
Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.During the transition period in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Senate, aside from its Legislative role, also had the task of drafting the country's new constitution...
to former Presidents of the Republic
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , is Congo's elected Head of State, and the ex officio "Supreme Commander" of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
. As of 2011, there are no former presidents alive.
Paraguay
Former Presidents of the RepublicPresident of Paraguay
The President of Paraguay is according to the Paraguayan Constitution the Chief of the Executive branch of the Government of Paraguay...
, except for those who were impeached from office, are granted the speaking-but-non-voting position of senator
Senate of Paraguay
The Chamber of Senators of Paraguay , the upper house of the National Congress, has 45 members, elected for a five year term by proportional representation.-See also:*List of Presidents of the Senate of Paraguay...
for life.
Rwanda
The Rwandan constitutionConstitution of Rwanda
The Constitution of Rwanda was adopted by referendum on May 26, 2003. It replaced the older Constitution of 1991.The Constitution provides for a presidential system of government, with separation of powers between the three branches. It condemns the Rwandan Genocide in the preamble, expressing hope...
permits former Presidents of the country to become members of the Senate
Senate of Rwanda
The Parliament of Rwanda has two chambers. The upper house is the Senate ...
if they wish, by submitting a request to the Supreme Court.
Canada
In a manner reminiscent of the British parliament, members of the Canadian Senate were appointed for life. Since the Constitution Act, 1965, however, senators must retire upon reaching the age of 75. Though senators appointed before the amendment were grandfathered in by the legislation, there are no longer any lifetime senators present in the Canadian Senate. Orville Howard PhillipsOrville Howard Phillips
Orville Howard Phillips, was a Canadian dental surgeon, politician, and senator.Born in O'Leary, Prince Edward Island, the son of J.S. and Maude Phillips, he received his D.D.S. from Dalhousie University in 1952. He practiced dentistry for many years.In 1957, he was elected to the Canadian House...
, the last senator for life, resigned his seat in 1999.
France
In FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, during the Third Republic
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, the Senate
French Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
was composed of 300 members, 75 of which were inamovible ("unremovable"). Introduced in 1875, the status was abolished for new senators in 1884, but maintained for those already in office. Émile Deshayes de Marcère
Émile Deshayes de Marcère
Émile-Louis-Gustave Deshayes de Marcère was a French politician.Marcère was deputy of the National Assembly from 1871 to 1884. In 1876 and 1878, he was Minister of the Interior....
, the last surviving sénateur inamovible, died in 1918. Overall there had been 116 lifetime senators.
In 2005, there was questioning about the status of former Presidents of the Republic. According to the constitution of the Fifth Republic
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
, former presidents are de jure members of the Constitutional Council
Constitutional Council of France
The Constitutional Council is the highest constitutional authority in France. It was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958, and its duty is to ensure that the principles and rules of the constitution are upheld.Its main activity is to rule on whether proposed...
, which poses a problem of possible partiality. Some members of Parliament and commentators suggested that it should be replaced by a life membership in the Senate
French Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
. This proposal was, however, not enacted.
|
Émile Deschanel Émile Auguste Étienne Martin Deschanel was a French author and politician, the father of Paul Deschanel, the 11th President of the French Republic.... Émile Deshayes de Marcère Émile-Louis-Gustave Deshayes de Marcère was a French politician.Marcère was deputy of the National Assembly from 1871 to 1884. In 1876 and 1878, he was Minister of the Interior.... Jules Armand Dufaure Jules Armand Stanislas Dufaure was a French statesman.-Biography:Dufaure was born at Saujon, Charente-Maritime, and began his career as an advocate at Bordeaux, where he won a great reputation by his oratorical gifts. He abandoned law for politics, and in 1834 was elected deputy... Félix Dupanloup Félix Antoine Philibert Dupanloup was a French ecclesiastic.-Biography:He was born at Saint-Félix, in Haute-Savoie. In his earliest years he was confided to the care of his brother, a priest in the diocese of Chambéry. In 1810 he was sent to a pensionnat ecclésiastique at Paris... Henri Dupuy de Lôme Stanislas Charles Henri Dupuy de Lôme was a French naval architect. He was the son of a naval officer and was born in Ploemeur near Lorient, Brittany, in western France. He was educated at the École Polytechnique... Henri François Xavier Gresley Henri François Xavier Gresley was a French Minister of War.-Life:He was the son of Henry Francis Xavier and Nathalie Gresley Lariviere.... Bernard Jauréguiberry Jean Bernard Jauréguiberry was a French admiral and statesman.A native of Bayonne, Jauréguiberry entered the French Navy in 1831. He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant in 1845, a commander in 1856, and a captain in 1860... Benjamin Jaurès Constant Louis Jean Benjamin Jaurès was a 19th-century French Admiral and Senator, who was active in Japan during the Bombardment of Shimonoseki and the Boshin war .... Pierre Lanfrey Pierre Lanfrey , a French historian and politician, was born at Chambéry .His father had been one of Napoleon's officers. The son studied philosophy and history in Paris and wrote historical works of an anti-clerical and rationalizing tendency... Édouard René de Laboulaye Édouard René Lefèbvre de Laboulaye was a French jurist, poet, author and anti-slavery activist... Victor Lefranc Bernard Edme Victor Etienne Lefranc , French lawyer and politician, moderated republican, was under the French Third Republic Minister of Agriculture and Trade, then Interior Minister.- Life :... John Lemoinne John-Marguerite-Émile Lemoinne was a French journalist.-Early years:Lemoinne was born of French parents in London. He was educated first at an English school and then in France... |
Émile Littré Émile Maximilien Paul Littré was a French lexicographer and philosopher, best known for his Dictionnaire de la langue française, commonly called "The Littré".-Biography:Émile Littré was born in Paris... Eugène Pelletan Pierre Clément Eugène Pelletan was a French writer, journalist and politician.Born in Royan, Charente-Maritime, Eugène Pelletan was an associate of Lamartine, but refused an appointment to the office in the foreign affairs ministry. He was elected deputy in 1863 and joined the opposition to the... Ernest Picard Louis Joseph Ernest Picard was a French politician.He was born in Paris. After taking his doctorate in law in 1846 he joined the Parisian bar. Elected to the corps législatif in 1858, he became a follower of Émile Ollivier... Edmond de Pressensé Edmond Dehault de Pressensé was a French Protestant leader.He was born at Paris, and studied at Lausanne under Alexandre Vinet... Edmond Henri Adolphe Schérer Edmond Henri Adolphe Schérer , French theologian, critic and politician, was born in Paris.After a course of legal studies he spent several years in theological study at Strasbourg, where he graduated in theology in 1843, and was ordained... Victor Schoelcher Victor Schoelcher was a French abolitionist writer in the 19th century and the main spokesman for a group from Paris who worked for the abolition of slavery, and formed an abolition society in 1834... Jules Simon Jules François Simon was a French statesman and philosopher, and one of the leader of the Opportunist Republicans faction.-Biography:Simon was born at Lorient. His father was a linen-draper from Lorraine, who renounced Protestantism before his second marriage with a Catholic Breton. Jules Simon... Pierre Tirard Pierre Emmanuel Tirard was a French politician.He was born to French parents in Geneva, Switzerland. After studying in his native town, Tirard became a civil engineer. After five years of government service he resigned to become a jewel merchant... Louis Wolowski Louis-François-Michel-Reymond Wolowski was a Polish writer on economics and politician, naturalised in France.-Life:... Charles-Adolphe Wurtz Adolphe Wurtz was an Alsatian French chemist. He is best remembered for his decades-long advocacy for the atomic theory and for ideas about the structures of chemical compounds, against the skeptical opinions of chemists such as Marcellin Berthelot and Etienne Henri Sainte-Claire Deville... |
Romania
The 1923 Constitution1923 Constitution of Romania
The 1923 Constitution of Romania, also called the Constitution of Union, was intended to align the organisation of the state on the basis of universal male suffrage and the new realities that arose after the Great Union of 1918. Four draft constitutions existed: one belonging to the National...
instituted the membership by right (senator de drept) in the Senate
Senate of Romania
The Senate of Romania is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 137 seats , to which members are elected by direct popular vote, using Mixed member proportional representation in 42 electoral districts , to serve four-year terms.-Former location:After the Romanian...
for:
- the heir to the throneRomanian Royal FamilyThe current Romanian royal family , an integral part of the larger royal house of Romania, consists of the family of King Michael I of Romania who bear a royal title...
- Metropolitan bishopMetropolitan bishopIn Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
s and diocesan bishops of the Orthodox and Greek-Catholic churches - heads of state-recognised religious bodies
- the president of the Romanian AcademyRomanian AcademyThe Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
- former presidents of the Council of Ministers
- former ministers with at least six years’ seniority
- former presidents of either legislative chamber who held this function for at least eight ordinary sessions
- former senators and deputies elected to at least ten legislatures, irrespective of their duration
- former presidents of the High Court of Cassation and Justice
- reserve and retired generals
- former presidents of the National Assemblies at ChişinăuChisinauChișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, CernăuţiChernivtsiChernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
and Alba IuliaAlba IuliaAlba Iulia is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania with a population of 66,747, located on the Mureş River. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania...
, which proclaimed their respective provinces’ union with Romania in 1918 (see Union of Transylvania with RomaniaUnion of Transylvania with RomaniaUnion of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia.The national holiday of Romania, the Great Union Day occurring on December 1, commemorates this event...
, Union of Bessarabia with RomaniaUnion of Bessarabia with RomaniaOn , the Sfatul Ţării, or National Council, of Bessarabia proclaimed union with the Kingdom of Romania.-Governorate of Bessarabia:The 1812 Treaty of Bucharest between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empires provided for Russian annexation of the eastern half of the territory of the Principality...
)
The membership by right was maintained under the 1938 Constitution
1938 Constitution of Romania
The 1938 Constitution of Romania was the fundamental law that established the authoritarian monarchic regime of King Carol II. It was drafted by a university professor, Istrate Micescu, based on suggestions given by the king, and made public on February 20, 1938. Four days later, voters were...
and it was abolished together with the Senate on July 15, 1946, by the Communist Party
Romanian Communist Party
The Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
-dominated government of Petru Groza
Petru Groza
Petru Groza was a Romanian politician, best known as the Prime Minister of the first Communist Party-dominated governments under Soviet occupation during the early stages of the Communist regime in Romania....
.
The current constitution of Romania
Constitution of Romania
The 1991 Constitution of Romania, adopted on 21 November 1991, voted in the referendum of 8 December 1991 and introduced on the same day, is the current fundamental law that establishes the structure of the government of Romania, the rights and obligations of the country's citizens, and its mode...
, although it re-established the bicameral parliament in 1991, did not reinstate the office of senator by right.
South and Central America
The constitutionConstitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
s of a number of countries in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
have granted former presidents the right to be senator for life (senador vitalicio), possibly recalling the entirely unelected Senate of Simón Bolívar's
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
theory (see Bolivar's tricameralism). Most of these countries have since excised these provisions as they are increasingly seen as antidemocratic. The Constitution of Paraguay still has such a provision. Former presidents are permitted to speak but not vote. Probably the most familiar case is that of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
(1998-2002) whose parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity
Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which members of the parliament or legislature are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be removed, usually by a superior court of justice or by the parliament itself...
protected him from prosecution for human rights violations until the Chilean Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Chile
The Supreme Court of Chile is the highest court in Chile. It also administrates the lower courts in the nation. It is located in the capital Santiago....
revoked it in 2000.
- In VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, lifetime Senate seats existed from 1961 to 1999. The former Presidents who held this position were: Rómulo BetancourtRómulo BetancourtRómulo Ernesto Betancourt Bello , known as "The Father of Venezuelan Democracy", was President of Venezuela from 1945 to 1948 and again from 1959 to 1964, as well as leader of Accion Democratica, Venezuela's dominant political party in the 20th century...
(1964-1981), Raúl LeoniRaúl LeoniRaúl Leoni Otero was President of Venezuela from 1964 until 1969. He fought against the dictators Juan Vicente Gómez and Marcos Pérez Jiménez, and was a charter member of the Acción Democrática party....
(1969-1972), Rafael CalderaRafael CalderaRafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez was president of Venezuela from 1969 to 1974 and again from 1994 to 1999.Caldera taught sociology and law at various universities before entering politics. He was a founding member of COPEI, Venezuela's Christian Democratic party...
(1974-1994, 1999), Carlos Andrés PérezCarlos Andrés PérezCarlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
(1979-1989, 1994-1996), Luis Herrera CampinsLuis Herrera CampinsLuis Antonio Herrera Campins was President of Venezuela from 1979 to 1984. He was elected to one five-year term in 1978. He was a member of the COPEI party.- Early Life and career:...
(1984-1999) and Jaime LusinchiJaime LusinchiJaime Ramón Lusinchi is a Venezuelan politician who was the President of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by an economic crisis, growth of the External debt, populist policies, currency depreciation, inflation and corruption that exacerbated the crisis of the political...
(1989-1999). The Venezuelan SenateVenezuelan SenateThe Venezuelan Senate was the upper house of Venezuela's legislative under its 1961 constitution. Under the 1999 constitution, the bicameral system was replaced by the unicameral National Assembly of Venezuela....
was abolished with the 1999 constitutionConstitution of Venezuela||The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the current and twenty-sixth constitution of Venezuela. It was drafted in mid-1999 by a constitutional assembly that had been created by popular referendum. Adopted in December 1999, it replaced the 1961 Constitution - the longest...
. - In PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, the practice was extant from 1979 to 1993. Francisco Morales BermúdezFrancisco Morales BermúdezFrancisco Morales Bermúdez Cerruti is a Peruvian general who came to power in Peru in 1975 after deposing his predecessor, General Juan Velasco. His grandfather and all his original family were from the old Peruvian department of Tarapacá, which is now part of the Chilean territory...
, Fernando Belaúnde TerryFernando Belaúnde TerryFernando Belaúnde Terry was President of Peru for two non-consecutive terms . Deposed by a military coup in 1968, he was re-elected in 1980 after eleven years of military rule...
and Alan García PérezAlan García PérezAlan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez was the President of Peru, having won the 2006 elections on 4 June 2006 in a run-off against Union for Peru candidate Ollanta Humala. He is the leader of the APRA and the only party member ever to have served as President of Peru. He served a first term as...
were the only lifetime senators until the abolition of the senate in 1993 and the introduction of a unicameral parliamentCongress of PeruThe Congress of the Republic of Peru or the National Congress of Peru is the unicameral body that assumes legislative power in Peru.Congress consists of 130 members of congress , who are elected for five year periods in office on a proportional representation basis...
. - In ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, under the 1980 ConstitutionConstitution of ChileIn its temporary dispositions, the document ordered the transition from the former military government, with Augusto Pinochet as President of the Republic, and the Legislative Power of the Military Junta , to a civil one, with a time frame of eight...
, two ex-PresidentPresident of ChileThe President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
s have become senators-for-life: Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1998-2002) and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-TagleEduardo Frei Ruiz-TagleEduardo Alfredo Juan Bernardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle is a Chilean politician and civil engineer who was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. He is currently Senator for Los Ríos and was President of the Senate from 2006 to 2008. He attempted a comeback as the candidate of the ruling Concertación...
(2000-2006). The provision was abolished by constitutional reforms in 2005. - In NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, the 1974 Constitution granted lifetime membership in that country's Senate to former Presidents of the RepublicPresident of NicaraguaThe position of President of Nicaragua was created in the Constitution of 1854. From 1825 until the Constitution of 1838 the title of the position was known as Head of State and from 1838 to 1854 as Supreme Director .-Heads of State of Nicaragua within the Federal Republic of Central America...
.
Brazil
The senators of the Empire of Brazil were appointed for lifetime (1826-1889). The emperor appointed the senator for each constituency from a list of three, indirectly elected, candidates. For details, see Senate of Brazil: HistoryThere were about 250 senators of the Empire of Brazil:
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Francisco de Sales Torres Homem Francisco de Sales Torres Homem, Viscount of Inhomirim , was a physician, lawyer, journalist, romantic writer, deputy, senator, top officer of the National Treasury, president of the Bank of Brazil and Minister of Treasury... Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil Dona Isabel , nicknamed "the Redemptress", was the heiress presumptive to the throne of the Empire of Brazil, bearing the title of Princess Imperial.... João Lins Cansanção, Viscount of Sinimbu João Lins Vieira Cansação de Sinimbu, Viscount of Sinimbu was a Brazilian politician. He was President of the Council of Ministers from 5 January 1878 until 28 March 1880.- References :... Joaquim Rodrigues Torres, Viscount of Itaboraí Joaquim Rodrigues Torres, the Viscount of Itaboraí was a Brazilian politician and monarchist during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... José Antônio Saraiva José Antônio Saraiva, also known as Counsellor Saraiva , was a politician, diplomat and lawyer during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... |
José Martiniano de Alencar José Martiniano Pereira de Alencar was a Brazilian politician, journalist and priest, father of famous Brazilian novelist José de Alencar and diplomat Leonel Martiniano de Alencar, the Baron of Alencar.... Manuel Alves Branco, 2nd Viscount of Caravelas Manuel Alves Branco, the 2nd Viscount of Caravelas was a Brazilian politician and monarchist during the period of the Empire of Brazil .... Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval Manuel Luís Osório, Marquis of Erval , was a Brazilian military officer, monarchist and politician.-References:* Carvalho, José Murilo de. D. Pedro II: ser ou não ser. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2007.... Pedro de Araújo Lima, Marquis of Olinda Pedro de Araújo Lima, the Marquis of Olinda Pedro de Araújo Lima, the Marquis of Olinda Pedro de Araújo Lima, the Marquis of Olinda (Sirinhaem, 22 December 1793 — Rio de Janeiro, 7 June 1870, was a statesman and monarchist during the period of the Empire of Brazil (1822–1889). His long political... Rodrigo Augusto da Silva Rodrigo Augusto da Silva a Brazilian senator for life, minister and a privy counsellor of Emperor Peter II of Brazil. He was a member of the Silva de Carvalho family from São Paulo, the son of José Manuel da Silva and nephew of financier Benedito Antonio da Silva... |
Somalia
A variation of the "senator for life" theme existed in the Somali Republic (1960-1969). While the 1960 constitution did not provide for a senate (the legislature, known as the National Assembly, was unicameral), it did grant lifetime membership in the legislature to ex-Presidents of the Republic.External links
- Senato.it: Senatori a vita — current Italian lifetime senators