Brussels - Rome: Europe and the Arabs
Adio Francesco: This was the slogan that resounded in the Italian newspapers La Stampa and La Repubblica as Rome and the world received news of the death of Pope Francis, ending a 12-year reign at the head of the Catholic Church and closing the door on a papacy that sought to reshape Catholicism.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Francis "inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church." European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who hails from Catholic-majority Malta, spoke of his "love of life, his hope for peace, and his compassion for equality and social justice." European Council President António Costa highlighted the Pope's views on everything from the death penalty to international debt relief and climate change.
The flags of the three main bodies of the European Union—the European Council, the Parliament, and the Commission—are flying at half-mast in mourning for Francis. Politico reported Tuesday, "As a man of many firsts—he was the first South American and the first Jesuit to serve as pope—Francis has tried (and, in the eyes of many progressives, failed) to make the Catholic Church a more inclusive place.
Against the tide: At a time when political winds seem to be swinging to the right—whether it's the election of a hardline Republican president in the United States or the resurgence of right-wing politics across Europe—Francis has championed a more moderate policy. He has leaned left on issues like immigration, climate, and the economy, even if his stance on issues like same-sex marriage and women's rights hasn't satisfied progressives.
Francis leaves behind a complicated legacy, as Politico's Ben Munster and Hannah Roberts reported from Rome. He leaves an institution that, despite its ostensible commitment to defending the disenfranchised and marginalized, has done little to address its own failings, from clerical abuse to the misuse of Vatican funds, they wrote.
Francis's papacy has also had this unintended consequence: emboldening the Catholic right, particularly in the United States, which has rejected his reform efforts.
What will happen? Later: Francis will lie in state at a state funeral, expected to take place on Saturday, according to Italian media. A large number of world leaders are expected to attend (US President Donald Trump has stated that he will be present). The last time a pope died in office—John Paul II in 2005—the presidents of the European Commission, Council, and Parliament attended, as well as hundreds of world leaders from the EU and around the world.
Watch the white smoke: The death of a pope will lead to a nine-day mourning period known as the Novendiale, with the conclave to choose the next pope taking place 15 to 20 days after his death.
Runners and riders: Our Politico team analyzes who might be the next pope. The winner will have profound implications for the future direction of the Church, deciding whether to enter the more progressive breach opened by Francis or take the opposite path. Possible candidates include Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Francis's number two since 2013; Philippine Cardinal Luis Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila who shares Francis's focus on social justice and the fight against poverty; or conservatives such as Cardinal Raymond Burke of the United States, who has disagreed with Francis over his alleged "conscious" agenda; and Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő, a favorite of Viktor Orbán who represents a traditional, Eurocentric vision of the Church.