Who Will Be The Next Pope? These Cardinals Are Seen As Francis’ Potential Successors

<p>Pope Francis’ death on Monday started a significant transition for the Catholic Church, which will now elect its next head through a process known as the conclave. This process is held typically two to three weeks after a pope’s funeral and gathers the College of Cardinals in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.</p>
<p>Pope Francis, the head of the worldwide Catholic Church, passed away at the age of 88, from a stroke on Monday (April 21). He had returned home less than a month ago after spending five weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia. He will be laid to rest on Saturday (April 26) in Rome.</p>
<p>After Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, the Catholic Church’s cardinal electors, which is a group of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80, will begin the conclave in early to mid-May in the Sistine Chapel. Two-thirds majority is required to choose the next pope. While any baptised Catholic man can be elected, the role has gone to a cardinal for the past seven centuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here are some of the cardinals who are being seen as Pope Francis’s potential successor:</p>
<p><strong>Pietro Parolin, Nationality: Italian, Age: 70</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Pietro Parolin has served as Pope Francis&rsquo; secretary of state since 2014 and is widely seen as a top papal contender due to his high-ranking role in the Church. A seasoned diplomat, he played a central role in the Vatican&rsquo;s controversial agreement with China on bishop appointments. He was involved, but not charged, in the failed London real estate investment that led to a major 2021 trial involving another cardinal and nine others.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He was an ambassador to Venezuela, and is familiar with the Latin American Church. Parolin is seen as someone who would likely continue Francis&rsquo; approach, though with a more restrained and cautious diplomatic style. He would also mark a return of an Italian pope after three non-Italian pontiffs: John Paul II (Poland), Benedict XVI (Germany), and Francis (Argentina).</p>
<p>Despite his extensive Vatican experience, Parolin lacks pastoral experience, and his association with the financial scandal due to which his office lost tens of millions through questionable deals could work against him.</p>
<p><strong>Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, </strong><strong id=”nationality:-filipino” class=”sc-d16436d-0 jpoiOL”>Nationality: Filipino, </strong><strong id=”age:-67″ class=”sc-d16436d-0 jpoiOL”>Age: 67</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, currently serves as pro-prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and is often referred to as the “Asian Francis” due to his missionary focus and advocacy for the poor, as well as his openness toward LGBTQ individuals and divorced and remarried Catholics.</p>
<p>He is the former archbishop of Manila in the Philippines, one of Asia&rsquo;s most Catholic nations, and spent seven years studying in the United States. His election would likely represent a continuation of the direction set by Pope Francis.</p>
<p><strong>Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Nationality: Congolese, Age: 65</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, gained global attention for leading African bishops in unanimously rejecting Fiducia Supplicans, a 2023 Vatican declaration that included guidelines on blessing people in same-sex relationships. He has served as Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years and was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis.</p>
<p>Ambongo is known as a defender of orthodoxy, supporting priestly celibacy and the Church&rsquo;s moral teachings, while also promoting social justice and speaking out for the poor and voiceless. He has been outspoken in his criticism of the Congolese government.</p>
<p>A leading candidate from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cardinal Ambongo is seen as a strong possibility for the papacy, especially as the Catholic Church continues to grow rapidly in Africa.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Peter Erdo, Nationality: Hungarian, Age: 72</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest and primate of Hungary, is a canon lawyer and the highest-ranking Catholic leader in a country that is 80% Christian. He was elected twice as head of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences in 2005 and 2011, and has earned the respect of European cardinals, the largest voting bloc in papal elections. In this role, Erdo developed ties with African cardinals through joint sessions with African bishops&rsquo; conferences.</p>
<p>Erdo also played a prominent role in organising and speaking at the Vatican&rsquo;s 2014 and 2015 meetings on the family and was a key figure during papal visits to Budapest in 2021 and 2023. He is known for supporting the pope’s outreach to Orthodox Christians, and is viewed as a traditionalist who is also respected by liberals. He has depicted a balanced approach on migration, a sensitive issue in Hungary, acknowledging both the right to migrate and the need for political stability.</p>
<p><strong>Reinhard Marx, Nationality: German, Age: 71</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich and Freising, was appointed by Pope Francis in 2013 as a key adviser and later selected to lead the council responsible for overseeing Vatican financial reforms.</p>
<p>A former president of the German bishops&rsquo; conference, he strongly supported the &ldquo;synodal path,&rdquo; a controversial dialogue process launched in 2020 in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis in Germany. This initiative, which addressed topics like celibacy, homosexuality, and women’s ordination, drew criticism from conservatives who viewed it as a potential threat to Church unity.</p>
<p>In 2021, Marx made headlines by offering his resignation as archbishop in a symbolic gesture to take responsibility for the German church&rsquo;s failures in handling abuse cases. Pope Francis, however, declined the resignation and asked him to remain in his post.</p>
<p><strong>Marc Ouellet, Nationality: Canadian, Age: 80</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada led the Vatican&rsquo;s powerful bishops office for over a decade, managing the central process for selecting candidates to lead dioceses worldwide. Though originally appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis kept him in the role until 2023.</p>
<p>During his tenure, Ouellet played a key role in naming bishops, including those favoured by Benedict&rsquo;s more doctrinal approach, while also choosing pastorally focused leaders in line with Francis&rsquo; vision that bishops should “smell like the sheep.”</p>
<p>Ouellet is considered more conservative than Francis, defending priestly celibacy in the Latin Rite church and maintaining opposition to the ordination of women. However, he has advocated for women to have a greater role in Church governance.</p>
<p>He has strong ties to the Latin American Church, having led the Pontifical Commission for Latin America for over ten years. Since 2019, his office has overseen investigations into bishops accused of covering up abuse, a role that likely earned him few allies among sanctioned clergy but may have provided access to confidential and potentially sensitive information about other Church leaders.</p>
<p><strong>Robert Prevost, Nationality: American, Age: 69</strong></p>
<p>Although the prospect of an American pope has traditionally been viewed with caution, Cardinal Robert Prevost, originally from Chicago, stands out as a potential exception.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Prevost holds decades of experience in Latin America, first as a missionary, then as the bishop, and later as archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He has built deep pastoral and cultural ties in a region that remains central to the Catholic Church.</p>
<p>In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most influential positions in the Vatican, responsible for recommending episcopal appointments across the globe.</p>
<p>That same year, he was also named president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, underscoring his strategic importance in Francis&rsquo; vision of a more globally representative Church. His appointment reflected the pope&rsquo;s long-standing trust in him. He was first sent by Francis to Chiclayo in 2014, and since then he was drawn closer into the Vatican&rsquo;s inner circle.</p>
<p>However, his relatively young age by papal standards could be a factor, as some cardinals may be hesitant to elect a pope who could potentially serve for two decades or more.</p>
<p><strong>Mario Grech, Nationality: Maltese, Age: 68</strong></p>
<p>Cardinal Mario Grech, 68, is a canon lawyer who has major influence on how synods in the church are run. Supporters have praised him for leading the charge in implementing a more consultative and inclusive approach to church governance.&nbsp; Grech comes from Malta, which is one of the smallest countries in the world.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Other cardinals who are potential successors are:</strong></p>
<p>Angelo Scola, Nationality: Italian, Age: 83</p>
<p>Robert Sarah, Nationality: Guinean, Age: 79</p>
<p>Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Nationality: Italian, Age: 60</p>
<p>Michael Czerny, Nationality: Canadian, Age: 78</p>
<p>Matteo Zuppi, Nationality: Italian, Age: 69</p>
<p>Anders Arborelius, Nationality: Scandinavian, Age: 75</p>
<p>Gerald Cyprien Lacroix, Nationality: Canadian, Age: 67</p>