The number of cardinals participating in a papal conclave is generally limited to those under the age of 80 at the time the Holy See becomes vacant. For the 2025 papal conclave, there were 135 eligible cardinal electors, but only 133 actually participated in the voting process
. This number exceeds the traditional limit of 120 electors set by Pope Paul VI in 1975, but recent popes have created more cardinals, resulting in more than 120 electors in recent conclaves
. Thus, in the 2025 conclave, 133 cardinals took part in the private voting process to elect the new pope
. A two-thirds majority is required for election. This number can vary slightly in different conclaves depending on the number of eligible cardinals under 80 years old at the time.
