The 2025 papal conclave convened on May 7, 2025 to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who died after a prolonged illness on April 21, 2025. Only cardinals under the age of 80, 135 out of the 252 current cardinals, are eligible to vote for the next pope. To start this year’s conclave, 133 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel, took an oath of secrecy, and were locked in (“conclave” is Latin for “with a key”) until they select the 267th Bishop of Rome.
How the papal conclave works
Voting for candidates happens up to four times a day. Each paper vote is burned: black smoke signals no decision, white smoke announces success. A candidate must secure a two‑thirds majority—89 votes with the current electorate—to be declared pope. When that threshold is reached, the senior cardinal deacon proclaims “Habemus Papam,” (Latin for we have a pope) and the new pontiff steps onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to greet the world.
Where are the voting cardinals from?
94 countries have a cardinal. Of those, 71 countries have at least one cardinal who is eligible to participate in the 2025 papal conclave. This map shows the countries with cardinals according to the Holy See (click on map for a larger version).
Map of cardinals that can vote for the pope
There are 71 countries with at least one eligible cardinal for the 2025 Papal Conclave. Map: Caitlin Dempsey with data from the Holy See, May 2025.
Countries with the most cardinals
Out of the 135 eligible cardinals, Italy retains its rank as the country with the most cardinals with 51 total and 17 voting cardinals.The United States has the second-most cardinals with 17 total and 10 eligible to participate in the conclave. Brazil comes in third with 7 voting cardinals but ranks fourth in a three-way tie with France and Argentina for the most overall cardinals (8). Spain is the country with the third-most cardinals with 13 but only has 5 voting cardinals.
Chart showing countries with at least two voting cardinals for the 2025 papal conclave. Chart: Caitlin Dempsey with data from the Holy See, May 2025.
Table: Countries with only one voting cardinal
A total of 54 countries have one voting cardinal:
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Country
Electors
Non-Electors
TotalCardinals
Continent
Algeria
1
0
1
Africa
Australia
1
0
1
Oceania
Belgium
1
0
1
Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina
1
0
1
Europe
Burkina Faso
1
0
1
Africa
Cape Verde
1
0
1
Africa
Central African Republic
1
0
1
Africa
Chile
1
3
4
South America
China
1
2
3
Asia
Colombia
1
2
3
South America
Croatia
1
0
1
Europe
Cuba
1
0
1
Central America
Democratic Republic of the Congo
1
0
1
Africa
East Timor
1
0
1
Asia
Ecuador
1
0
1
South America
Ethiopia
1
0
1
Africa
Ghana
1
0
1
Africa
Guatemala
1
0
1
Central America
Guinea
1
0
1
Africa
Haiti
1
0
1
Central America
Hungary
1
0
1
Europe
Indonesia
1
1
2
Asia
Iran
1
0
1
Asia
Iraq
1
0
1
Asia
Jerusalem
1
0
1
Asia
Kenya
1
0
1
Africa
Korea
1
1
2
Asia
Lithuania
1
2
3
Europe
Luxembourg
1
0
1
Europe
Madagascar
1
0
1
Africa
Malaysia
1
0
1
Asia
Malta
1
0
1
Europe
Marocco
1
0
1
Africa
Mongolia
1
0
1
Asia
Myanmar
1
0
1
Asia
Netherlands
1
0
1
Europe
New Zealand
1
0
1
Oceania
Nicaragua
1
0
1
Central America
Nigeria
1
3
4
Africa
Pakistan
1
0
1
Asia
Papua Nuova Guinea
1
0
1
Oceania
Paraguay
1
0
1
South America
Peru
1
2
3
South America
Rwanda
1
0
1
Africa
Serbia
1
0
1
Europe
Singapore
1
0
1
Asia
South Africa
1
1
2
Africa
Sri Lanka
1
0
1
Asia
Sud Sudan
1
0
1
Africa
Sweden
1
0
1
Europe
Tanzania
1
1
2
Africa
Thailandia
1
1
2
Asia
Tonga
1
0
1
Oceania
Uruguay
1
0
1
South America
Table: Countries with no voting cardinals
Of the 94 countries with a cardinal, the following 23 countries have no cardinals eligible to participate in the 2025 papal conclave:
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