Constitutional Court judges will have a full term of six years instead of the previous five. Constitutional judges are not allowed to be politically active and cannot be party members. The provisions are contained in the draft law on the Constitutional Court, approved by the government on Wednesday, IPN reports.

Justice Minister Veronica Mihailov-Moraru says that the new version of the document was drafted by merging the Law on the Constitutional Court and the Code of Constitutional Jurisdiction. According to the Minister, the draft covers the competences of the institution, the eligibility criteria and the selection of candidates for the position of judge.

The document also regulates the disciplinary liability of judges and the application of sanctions. Depending on the seriousness of the misconduct, judges risk a warning, reprimand or removal from office. Until now, these sanctions did not exist.

Another novelty is the Constitutional Court's competence to check the compatibility of international treaties with the Moldovan Constitution before ratification.

By law, the Constitutional Court is composed of six judges appointed for a 6-year term. A judge of the Constitutional Court can serve two terms. Two judges are appointed by Parliament, two by the Government and two by the Superior Council of Magistracy.