Who are the 133 cardinals voters of the conclave? – release

The pope is elected by his peers, this is the rule. François’ successor will therefore be chosen by A Cardinaux Collegewhich are 252. If the process is fully held in camerathere are well -known figures and rules: you have to be under the age of 80 on the day of the vacancy of the apostolic seat to participate in the ballot. The number of potential voters therefore falls to 135. Two of them, Antonio Cañizares Llovera and John Njue, having announced that they would not participate in the conclave, there will be 133 voters in the Sistine Chapel from Wednesday, May 7. A Fifteen profiles are regularly mentioned to replace the Argentinian pontiff sovereign.

A large majority of voters (108 out of 133) were made cardinal by François. They were appointed during consistories, assembled during which important decisions are announced. The outgoing Pope had set out to reduce in particular the proportion of cardinals from the curia (the Vatican administration) and reduce the weight of Europe – mainly from Italy.

The latter, which remains the most represented, has gone from 28 voters to 17 since the last conclave, in 2013. The number of French remained stable when the number of Africans and Asians increased significantly. Among these are this year, for the first time, cardinals from Cape Verde, the Central African Republic or Lesotho for Africa, Bangladesh, Malaysia or Burma for Asia.