Francis, the first pope from the Global South, redirected the Church’s attention to the world’s peripheries (Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images)
The Church remains one of few actors capable of offering a message of hope that transcends borders.
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Beyond Francis: Charting the Church’s global pathBeyond Francis: Charting the Church’s global path
The passing of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025 marks not only the end of a pontificate but also the closing of a diplomatic chapter in global affairs. As the College of Cardinals prepares to enter the conclave, the choice of the next pope carries far-reaching implications. Choosing a pontiff is not just a spiritual decision – it is a moment of geopolitical consequence.
Francis, the first pope from the Global South, redirected the Church’s attention to the world’s peripheries. He reframed climate change, migration, Indigenous rights, and social justice as moral imperatives. Through encyclicals such as Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, Francis elevated the papacy into a platform for ethical engagement with global governance.
His diplomatic style – less doctrinal, more dialogical – sought to position the Holy See as a “soft power” with global reach. He mediated conflicts, advocated for multilateralism, and gave voice to communities often sidelined in international forums. In doing so, he reshaped the Church’s posture on the world stage.
The next pope will help define the Church’s position on the world’s most urgent issues, from global inequality to war and peace, from AI ethics to climate resilience.
This legacy is embedded in the current College of Cardinals. Of the 135 electors who will enter the Sistine Chapel, nearly 80 per cent were appointed by Francis. It is the most geographically diverse group in modern Church history, with growing representation from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This reflects the global demography of Catholicism – and sets the stage for a pivotal choice.
Bishops gather as the body of Pope Francis is transferred to the Basilica at St Peter’s Square on 23 April 2025 in Vatican City (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
In an increasingly fragmented world, the papacy remains a unique institution, as a spiritual office with geopolitical reach. The Holy See maintains relations with nearly every state and holds a permanent observer seat at the United Nations. While lacking conventional power, it exerts influence through moral authority, diplomacy, and symbolic leadership.
Francis leveraged this position to expand the Church’s diplomatic engagement, particularly in conflict resolution, environmental advocacy, and migrant protection. He reshaped Vatican diplomacy into what might be called a “diplomacy of mercy” – rooted in encounter, pastoral presence, and multilateral cooperation.
His successor will inherit not only a vast ecclesiastical structure but also a diplomatic platform with real-world consequences. The next pope will help define the Church’s position on the world’s most urgent issues, from global inequality to war and peace, from AI ethics to climate resilience.
The conclave’s choice will affect how the Church speaks to China and the West, how it interacts with Islam and Judaism, and how it engages youth, civil society, and increasingly polarised societies.
The next pope will guide 1.3 billion Catholics, but also shape the voice of one of the world’s last truly global institutions. In an age of institutional erosion and geopolitical instability, the Church remains one of few actors capable of offering a message of hope that transcends borders.
This election is not only about who leads the Church – it is about what kind of moral power the Church wishes to be. Will it continue Francis’s path of inclusive diplomacy, prophetic engagement, and focus on the margins? Or will it embrace a more traditional model of leadership, emphasising doctrinal clarity, institutional stability, and spiritual renewal? The conclave will answer that question. And the world will be listening.
About the author
Fabrizio Bozzato
Dr Fabrizio Bozzato is a political analyst and commentator focused on East Asia, the Pacific Islands region and Sino-Vatican relations.
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