Pope Leo XIV approves new Vatican constitution
The new Basic Law enshrined the right of non-cardinals to head Vatican administrative bodies.
Pope Leo XIV signed a new constitution of Vatican on August 31, 2026, officially permitting non-cardinals to hold senior administrative positions. This was reported by National Catholic Register.
The document formally enshrined the right of laypeople and women to head the Pontifical Commission and the Governorate of Vatican City. The adoption of the new constitution was a response to administrative and regulatory changes of recent years. Previously, membership in the governing commission was strictly limited exclusively to persons holding the rank of cardinal, but this requirement has now been definitively abolished.
In effect, the new law legalized an appointment practice that until that point had been considered legally irregular. In 2025, Sister Raffaella Petrini became the first woman and the first person without a cardinal's title to be appointed president of the commission and governor.
Leo XIV had previously issued a special decree in 2025 to resolve this situation, and the 2026 constitution definitively enshrined these changes in state law.
The reform also affected the functions of the general counselor, who now participates in commission meetings and provides expert consultations. In addition, the law clearly sets out the duties of the secretary of state in implementing the policy of the president of the commission.
The new rules replaced the 2023 constitution issued by Pope Francis, which emphasized exclusive papal authority. The current Basic Law became the fourth in the history of the sovereign Vatican since its establishment in 1929. The first constitution remained in force until 2000, when it was replaced by a document adopted by Pope John Paul II.
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