France Denies Interfering with Conclave to Elect French Pope
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The French government has denied allegations in Italian media that President Emmanuel Macron attempted to sway the ongoing process to select a French pope.
Several daily Italian newspapers reviewed by RTL radio published allegations that Macron had made informal overtures to cardinals, encouraging support for Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, the Archbishop of Marseille, as a potential successor to Pope Francis
But when the European broadcaster put this to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, he rubbished the claims as "fake news."
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, May 7, 2025 in the Vatican, before the conclave begins to elect the successor of Pope Francis
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, May 7, 2025 in the Vatican, before the conclave begins to elect the successor of Pope Francis
AP
Why It Matters
The suggestion that a sitting French president could attempt to influence a papal election contradicts France's long-standing policy of strict separation between church and state.
Any perception of state involvement in religious processes risks not only domestic backlash but also diplomatic strain with the Holy See.
What To Know
Some of the headlines published in newspapers such as La Verità, Il Tempo, and Libero included the likes of: "Macron also wants to choose the Pope," "Macron invites himself to the conclave" and "An interventionism worthy of a modern Sun King," according to a translation by RTL radio.
When Barrot was asked if Paris is running a "discreet campaign" to get a French pope elected, he answered: "We are paying close attention … But we are not interfering in any way."
He went on to say that if French cardinals were asked about this they would confirm that "they are not taking any voting instructions," according to a translation from CatholicVote.
There are currently four French cardinals who will vote during the conclave, that began on Wednesday: Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille; François-Xavier Bustillo, Bishop of Ajaccio; Philippe Barbarin, former Archbishop of Lyon; Christophe Pierre, currently stationed in Washington.
On top of Barrot's denial, the French Embassy in Italy issued a rejection of the allegations on X.
It posted a screengrab of an Italian newspaper report with the French word for "false" plastered over it.
"Macron si imbuca pure al conclave"
Falso! https://t.co/gkgV4Alvsx — La France en Italie 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@FranceenItalie) May 2, 2025
What People Are Saying
French Ambassador to Italy Martin Briens posted a screengrab of an Italian newspaper's story and wrote on X: "By having lunch with the French cardinals, the President of the Republic (Macron) complied with the republican customs in force and respected by his predecessors after the funeral of a Pope. This manipulation of information is not dignified."
What Happens Next
The College of Cardinals has convened in Vatican City to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21, at the age of 88. The conclave was set to begin officially on the afternoon of May 7, with 133 cardinal electors sequestered in the Sistine Chapel under strict secrecy protocols.
If no pope is elected within three days, the cardinals will take a day of reflection before resuming the process.
While a pope can theoretically be elected in the first round, this has not occurred in centuries.
Modern conclaves often last between one and five days, depending on how quickly consensus can be reached. The most recent, in 2013, elected Francis on the second day. The world awaits smoke signals from the Vatican as the voting progresses.
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