All 133 eligible cardinals have gathered in Rome for the conclave to elect Pope Francis’s successor, with voting set to begin today after oaths of secrecy are taken. No official candidates exist, but potential contenders include Jean-Marc Aveline, a progressive French archbishop; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, a conservative African cardinal; and Péter Erdő, a Hungarian seen as a compromise candidate bridging conservative and progressive views. The new pope will require a two-thirds majority, needing 89 votes to be elected.
