Vatican Excludes Scandal-Tainted Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu from Conclave by Pope Francis’s Wish

After days of speculation, the Italian cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was convicted in a Vatican financial scandal, will not participate in the conclave set to elect the successor of the late pope starting May 7. Cardinal Becciu stated that he is complying with Pope Francis’s wishes, who in 2020 had stripped him of all church responsibilities while retaining his cardinal title. Initially, Becciu expressed his desire to take part in the papal election process. However, on Monday (April 28, 2025), it became clear that the cardinals’ meeting setting the start date for the new pontiff selection did not favor his involvement. Becciu began as a close collaborator of Pope Francis but was later implicated and convicted in a Vatican real estate investment scandal in London without the Pope’s knowledge. In 2023, the Vatican court sentenced Cardinal Becciu to 5.5 years in prison for financial crimes. Although the official list from the Holy See Press Office lists him as a ‘non-voter,’ Becciu claimed there was no explicit order excluding him from the conclave or asking for his resignation in writing. Despite losing cardinal privileges, he wasn’t formally expelled from the College of Cardinals and could have participated in pre-election discussions. Ultimately, he withdrew. According to Vatican rules, cardinals will attend a morning Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on May 7. That afternoon, cardinals under 80 years old will enter the Sistine Chapel for closed-door voting sessions, which may last several days. Notably, eight out of ten cardinals were appointed by Pope Francis in the past decade, with 20 becoming cardinals just last December. Many met in Rome last week following the Pope’s passing.