Three justices of the Brazilian Supreme Court will reach the mandatory retirement age within the next four years. Luiz Fux will be the first to leave the Court in 2028, followed by Cármen Lúcia in 2029, and Gilmar Mendes at the end of 2030. The current rule requires Supreme Court justices to retire compulsorily at age 75.
These three vacancies correspond to nearly one-third of the Court's 11 seats. After this first wave of departures, the next compulsory retirement will be that of Edson Fachin, in 2033. The remaining members of the Court may stay on the bench for over a decade, if they do not decide to retire early.
The retirement schedule means that the president elected this year will, in principle, have the opportunity to appoint the successors to Fux, Cármen, and Gilmar during the term beginning in 2027. These appointments represent a significant opportunity to influence the Court's composition in the coming years.
The vacancies may also be increased if any justice decides to leave the Court before turning 75, which could further expand the number of appointments available to the next president.
