Brasilia, May 8 (teleSUR-RHC)-- In a move criticized by Brazil’s lawyer association, the retirement age for Supreme Court judges shot up to 75, after Brazil’s lower chamber of Congress approved a constitutional amendment on Tuesday raising the compulsory retirement age.

The lower house's approval of the bill, which was passed by 333 to 144 votes, will most likely prevent President Rousseff from appointing five new Supreme Court judges before the end of her second presidential term.

"The underlying issue is not about the intellectual capacity of judges. Rather it is about the accumulation of power. This proposal will prevent renewal in all Supreme Court Justices in the country," Brazilian Deputy of the Workers Party Henrique Fontana stated.

Under the previous arrangement, 5 of the 11 judges that make up the court would reach retirement age before 2018, when Rousseff’s second term ends. With the change, if no judge decides to retire early, Rousseff will be unable to appoint any other judge to the court.