Who will be the possible successor to Pope Francis?

Following the deterioration of Pope Francis' health, there has been speculation about his possible successor.

It has been about a week since Pope Francis was hospitalized with an infection in both lungs, and speculation about his possible successor has increased. According to a report published by the New York Post, after the pope resigns or dies, the Congregation of Cardinals will be held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, and cardinals under the age of 80 will determine the next leader of the Vatican through several rounds of voting.

The most important candidates for the next pope are listed below:

1. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongobsongo, 65, from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the president of the symposium of the episcopal conferences of Africa and Madagascar, which Pope Francis appointed him to the rank of cardinal in 2019. Cardinal Besongo declared: “The doctrine that allows priests to ask for forgiveness for unmarried and homosexual couples is invalid on the African continent.” Fridolin’s election as pope would be interpreted as a clear rejection of Pope Francis’ left-leaning principles.

2- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines. He has been called the Asian Pope Francis. He is politically left-leaning and a critic of the church's treatment of sexual and gender minorities, divorced Catholics and those who have remarried. Luis is the seventh Filipino to be appointed cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI Tagle in 2012 and, if elected as the pope's successor, would be the first Asian pope in history.

3. Cardinal Mario Grec, 67, of Malta, currently the secretary general of the Conference of Bishops, was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2020. Mario is seen as a possible moderate successor. He has stressed the need to reach out to those who have been excluded from the church because of their sexual orientation or marital status.

4- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, from Italy. Born in Rome, he is the president of the Italian Bishops' Conference and has also served as Archbishop of Bologna, making him one of the people closest to the Vatican. Pope Francis appointed him a cardinal in 2019, and he is one of the most popular and trusted cardinals of Pope Francis. Matteo Zuppi went to Ukraine on a peace mission in 2023 and met with Volodymyr Zelensky. He was also sent to the United States that same year to meet with former US Catholic President Joe Biden.

5. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, from Italy, is the Vatican's Secretary of State who served the Vatican for 11 years. He was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2014. He has also served in the Vatican's embassies in Nigeria and Mexico. Pietro is considered a moderate politician and, if elected as the next pope, would continue Pope Francis' legacy.

6. Cardinal Wim Eyck, 71, from the Netherlands, a former physician and one of the most conservative candidates for the papacy. He was appointed cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. In 2015, he published a book in which he opposed Pope Francis' support for civil remarriage for those who have not been able to annul their first marriage, writing: "Such marriages are a form of organized and institutionalized adultery."

7- Cardinal Peter Ordó, 72, from Hungary, is a former president of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences. He has played a prominent role in contemporary church politics. Peter was appointed cardinal in 2003 by Pope John Paul II Ordó. He is considered a conservative figure and has explicitly opposed European countries' acceptance of asylum seekers, calling this action human trafficking.

8- Cardinal Raymond Burke, 76, from the United States. He is known as the leader of the conservative wing of the church and is a critic of the liberal tendencies of Pope Francis. He was appointed a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. He was born in Wisconsin and was previously the Archbishop of St. Louis.