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July
2, 2007
VOL.
45, NO. 13Oakland,
CA
Pope reverses papal election rule
VATICAN CITY
(CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has stipulated that a two-thirds majority always
is required to elect a new pope, undoing a more flexible procedure introduced
by Pope John Paul II.
In a one-page document released June 26, the pope said the two-thirds-majority
rule cannot be set aside even when cardinal-electors are at an impasse.
Instead, the pope instructed that if the cardinals are deadlocked after
13 days, runoff ballots between the two leading candidates will be held.
A papal election will continue to require a majority of two-thirds of
the cardinals present.
In 1996, Pope John Paul introduced a change in the conclave procedure
that allowed cardinal-electors to move to a simple majority after 13 days,
when 33 or 34 ballots had been held.
Pope Benedict said there had been significant requests for a return to
the old rules, under which a two-thirds majority was always required.
The pope effected the change by replacing two paragraphs of his predecessor’s
apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis” (“The
Lord’s Whole Flock”), a document that defined conclave procedures.
The two leading cardinals would not vote in the runoff ballots, though
they would remain in the Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are held.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the pope’s
modification “removes the option of moving to a simple majority,
50 percent plus one.
“This is a response to requests that the one elected always be elected
with an ample consensus,” Father Lombardi said.
The pope’s action also eliminates the possibility that a conclave
stalemated between two strong candidates could turn to a compromise choice
after the 13th day.
Most experts believe the chance of a conclave lasting that long in modern
times is very small. Over the last century, no conclave has lasted more
than five days.
