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Senator for life
A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. As of 2023[update], five Italian senators out of 205, two out of the 41 Burundian senators, one Congolese senator out of 109, and all members of the British House of Lords (apart from the 26 Lords Spiritual who are expected to retire at the age of 70) have lifetime tenure (although Lords can choose to resign or retire or can be expelled in cases of misconduct). Several South American countries once granted lifetime membership to former presidents but have since abolished the practice.
The 2006 constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo grants lifetime membership in the Senate to former presidents of the Republic. As of 2025, Joseph Kabila is the only senator for life after serving as president from 2001 to 2019.
The 1964 Congolese constitution also provided for life membership in the Senate for former presidents.
In Italy, a senator for life (Italian: senatore a vita) is a member of the Italian Senate appointed by the President "for outstanding patriotic merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field". There may be up to five appointed senators for life at the same time. Former presidents are ex officio senators for life. Currently there are five senators for life (five appointed).
Former presidents of the Republic, except for those who were impeached from office, are granted the speaking-but-non-voting position of senator for life.
The lifetime senatorship appeared in the Constitution of Russia as a result of the constitutional reform in 2020. According to the new version of the Constitution, the president has the right to appoint 30 senators for services to the country in the sphere of state and public activity, 7 of whom can be appointed for life. In addition, former presidents (except for those who were impeached from office) become senators for life, but have the right to refuse this office. This was widely seen as a preparation for a future power transition.
The Rwandan Constitution permits former presidents of the country to become members of the Senate if they wish, by submitting a request to the Supreme Court.
In Burundi, former presidents of the Republic served in the Senate for life until 2018 constitutional reform.
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Senator for life
A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. As of 2023[update], five Italian senators out of 205, two out of the 41 Burundian senators, one Congolese senator out of 109, and all members of the British House of Lords (apart from the 26 Lords Spiritual who are expected to retire at the age of 70) have lifetime tenure (although Lords can choose to resign or retire or can be expelled in cases of misconduct). Several South American countries once granted lifetime membership to former presidents but have since abolished the practice.
The 2006 constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo grants lifetime membership in the Senate to former presidents of the Republic. As of 2025, Joseph Kabila is the only senator for life after serving as president from 2001 to 2019.
The 1964 Congolese constitution also provided for life membership in the Senate for former presidents.
In Italy, a senator for life (Italian: senatore a vita) is a member of the Italian Senate appointed by the President "for outstanding patriotic merits in the social, scientific, artistic or literary field". There may be up to five appointed senators for life at the same time. Former presidents are ex officio senators for life. Currently there are five senators for life (five appointed).
Former presidents of the Republic, except for those who were impeached from office, are granted the speaking-but-non-voting position of senator for life.
The lifetime senatorship appeared in the Constitution of Russia as a result of the constitutional reform in 2020. According to the new version of the Constitution, the president has the right to appoint 30 senators for services to the country in the sphere of state and public activity, 7 of whom can be appointed for life. In addition, former presidents (except for those who were impeached from office) become senators for life, but have the right to refuse this office. This was widely seen as a preparation for a future power transition.
The Rwandan Constitution permits former presidents of the country to become members of the Senate if they wish, by submitting a request to the Supreme Court.
In Burundi, former presidents of the Republic served in the Senate for life until 2018 constitutional reform.