The papal conclave is often portrayed as a closed, ritualized event. But behind the secrecy lies a voting procedure with clear strategic logic. In this interview, CERGE-EI faculty Jan Zápal introduces the study Electing the pope: Elections by repeated ballots which he coauthors with Clara Ponsati. It explains how the pope is elected through repeated rounds requiring a two-thirds majority, why this system can in principle last for months or even years, and how economists model such elections to understand what kinds of winners the rules tend to produce. Along the way, they connect the conclave to other institutions that use similar repeated voting, and argue that long-standing rules can also confer legitimacy on the final choice. Continue reading Conclave Insider: Game Theory of Choosing a Pope →