As the Catholic Church mourns the passing of Pope Francis at age 88, attention turns to the upcoming conclave that will elect his successor.
The papal conclave to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on Monday, is expected to begin between May 6 and May 12, 2025.
Of the 135 cardinal electors eligible to vote, 109 were appointed by Francis himself, comprising approximately 80% of the electorate.
This significant majority suggests that the next pope is likely to continue or even intensify Francis’s left-wing trajectory.
As of April 21, Reuters reports there are 252 cardinals in total, with 135 of them eligible to vote in the next papal conclave—those under the age of 80.
Of these 135 cardinal electors, 109 were appointed by Pope Francis, 22 by Pope Benedict XVI, and five by Pope John Paul II.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, didn’t just serve as pope—he transformed the Vatican into a political institution of the global Left.
Under his watch, he championed open-border immigration policies and climate alarmism to ambiguous stances on same-sex relationships and interfaith relativism.
He repeatedly used his platform to push the Catholic Church further into the realm of globalist politics and social justice activism.
The Gateway Pundit reported earlier on the leading contenders to succeed Francis, whose election could either entrench his liberal legacy or restore the Church’s timeless orthodoxy.
Globalist Left-Wing Picks
- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines)
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy)
- Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline (France)
- Cardinal Mario Grech (Malta)
- Cardinal Juan Jose Omella (Spain)
- Cardinal Joseph Tobin (USA)
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy)
Conservative and Traditionalist Hopefuls
- Cardinal Wim Eijk (Netherlands)
- Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Congo)
- Cardinal Péter Erdő (Hungary)
- Cardinal Raymond Burke (USA)
- Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana)
Read more:
Here Are the Leading Contenders to Succeed Pope Francis as Head of the Catholic Church
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