February 20, 2013. (Romereports.com) Benedict XVI is analyzing the possibility of allowing the date of the conclave to elect his successor to be moved up. To do so, he would have to modify an Apostolic Constitution, a power granted only to the Pope. The process would alter the current document titled Universi Domini Gregis, approved by John Paul II to regulate the papal vacancy period and the organization of the conclave.   

According to Andrea Tornielli, from the Vatican Insider, the change could come at the request of several cardinals to begin the conclave sometime before the 15 day wait period currently required by law, after the start of the papal vacancy.