by Br. Alexis Bugnolo
Here at Rome there is circulating the news that Cardinal Prevost obtained 89+ votes in the 2nd ballot on the morning of May 8, 2025, but that he insisted a 3rd ballot be taken in the afternoon, after which several sources, including one Cardinal Elector, say he received many more than 100 votes.
The first rumour is based on the report by La Repubblica, that Prevost skipped lunch to write his victory speech: a thing which he would not have done if he had not already secured 89 votes, in all likely hood. The second was reported by several news agencies, such as HERE.
The importance of these assertions is that, since only 120 Cardinals can vote in a conclave, maximum, as determined by the Papal Law, Universi Dominici Gregis, for Conclaves, in its formal command in n. 33, that the maximum number of electors not exceed that number, it appears that the affirmation of 100+ votes is to cover for 13 votes which were cast illegally, since 100+ less 13 equals about the number needed to win an election.
Therefore, this implies also that Cardinal Prevost, in asking for a 4th Ballot, was cognizant as one who holds a doctorate in Canon Law, that the 89+ votes received in the 2nd Ballot were capable of being impugned as insufficient on the grounds that 13 Cardinals more than what was allowed might be voting for him.
Nevertheless, this inference is based on an error, namely, that a Cardinal Elector voting, who should not vote, would nevertheless not make the election invalid by merely voting, whomsoever he voted for, for violating n. 68 of the law, which is surely does, since n. 68 requires no more than 120 votes to be counted, as I have demonstrated in detail, here.
I have based this estimation of mine on the principles of criminal psychology, which recognizes that criminals often do unnecessary things to cover for their crimes, because of their fear of being caught or discovered.
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