To elect a pope, a candidate must receive a two‑thirds majority of all the cardinals who are eligible and present in the conclave.

In practice, that means:

  • The exact number of votes depends on how many cardinal electors are present.
  • For example, with 133 electors (as in the 2025 conclave), at least 89 votes are required to reach two‑thirds.
  • If the total number of electors is not divisible by three, the rule is “two‑thirds plus one” of those present, rounded up to the next whole vote.