As the next papal conclave nears, the adage “He who enters as pope, leaves as a cardinal” reminds us that frontrunners often don’t win. The 2013 surprise election of Pope Francis (Cardinal Bergoglio) over Cardinal Scola exemplifies this.
The upcoming election is historic, shaped by Pope Francis’ globalizing reforms that made the College of Cardinals more diverse, especially by appointing members from regions like Tonga and Papua New Guinea, according to CNN.
Cardinals must decide whether to continue Francis’ reformist direction or pivot, weighing leadership qualities, age, global representation, and doctrinal vision.
The following are the key contenders:
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- Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy): Vatican Secretary of State; skilled diplomat; cautious conservative.
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy): Vatican Secretary of State; skilled diplomat; cautious conservative.
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- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy): Archbishop of Bologna; peace mediator; LGBTQ+ inclusive.
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy): Archbishop of Bologna; peace mediator; LGBTQ+ inclusive.
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- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines): Evangelization leader; charismatic; close to Francis.
- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines): Evangelization leader; charismatic; close to Francis.
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- Cardinal Pablo David (Philippines): Justice advocate; aligns with Francis’ inclusive vision.
- Cardinal Gérald Lacroix (Canada): Missionary-minded; cleared of abuse allegation.
- Cardinal Pablo David (Philippines): Justice advocate; aligns with Francis’ inclusive vision.
- Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (DRC): Defender of democracy; African voice; anti-same-sex blessings.
- Cardinal Robert Prevost (USA/Peru): Bishop appointments head; US-born but Latin America-based.
- Cardinal Joseph Tobin (USA): Migrants advocate; multilingual and pastoral.
- Cardinal Isao Kikuchi (Japan): Anti-nuclear; missionary in Africa; Asia’s rising voice.
- Cardinal Michael Czerny (Canada): Social justice advocate; Jesuit with global experience.
- Cardinal Cristóbal López (Morocco): Interfaith dialogue proponent; Latin America and North Africa experience.
- Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich (Luxembourg): Synod leader; reform advocate; multilingual.
- Cardinal Péter Erdő (Hungary): Conservative legalist; aligned with Orban’s migration stance.
Other Names to Watch:
Mario Grech (Malta), Stephen Chow (Hong Kong), Pierbattista Pizzaballa (Jerusalem), Jaime Spengler (Brazil) – all respected leaders with regional and pastoral significance.
