Zenit reports (http://www.zenit.org/article-19984?l=english) that Pope Benedict XVI has gone back to the old rule that a two-thirds majority is always required for the election of a pope. Pope John Paul II had permitted a simple majority vote after 33 or 34 ballots had not resulted in a two-thirds majority for any candidate. There had been some complaints that this novelty would enable a group or groups of cardinals to stall until that point was reached and then to have their candidate elected. Benedict's return to the old practice would permit a ballot between two candidates, but the two-thirds majority will be required. In this case neither candidate could vote, which resembles the old rule that a two-thirds plus one vote was required, so that no candidate would be elected as the result of his own vote for himself.
The two-thirds vote at least approaches consensus, not a bad thing when considering a ministry of universal communion.
And now I see the NY Times has an article about it: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/world/europe/27pope.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
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