Overview

• The death of Pope Francis from a stroke in April 2025 has triggered the papal conclave process to elect his successor.
• Two cardinal electors, Antonio Cañizares and Vinko Puljić, have withdrawn due to health issues, lowering the electorate to 133 and reducing the two-thirds majority requirement to 89 votes.
• The conclave, governed by strict secrecy, will convene no earlier than 15 days after the papal vacancy, per canon law.
• Voting cardinals under 80 years old will gather in the Sistine Chapel, where ballots are cast until a candidate secures the required majority.
• Lay Catholics can explore candidate profiles through the 'Kardinal-O-Mat' website, which compares the positions of 22 leading contenders on key church issues.