Vatican City 2013 papal election

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Granted, there aren't a lot of voters (at most 118), and there won't be campaign ads to discuss. (At least I hope not!) However, it will be an election for the head of a sovereign country, so it seems to me a thread is appropriate here.

[Keystone Phil]

Damn it. I wanted to post this!

I'm hoping for a shock American pick up.

[doktorb]

From another place:

"It is worth noting that England and Wales will not have a vote to select the new pope. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor is now 80 years old and ineligible to take part in the conclave. His successor, Archbishop Vincent Nichols, has not yet received his promotion to cardinal. Cardinal Keith O'Brien of Scotland will be able to take part."

[Middle-aged Europe]

Christian Wulff would be available.

[Franzl]

Damn it. I wanted to post this!

I'm hoping for a shock American pick up.

The American cardinals seem to be even more conservative than what we have now.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Technically Benedict could promote another two or three cardinals before the election starts.  There are two available slots now, and a third will open up before his retirement.  I do wish he'd picked a more auspicious day than the 80th anniversary of the Reichstag Fire Decree to retire on.

[Keystone Phil]

Damn it. I wanted to post this!

I'm hoping for a shock American pick up.

The American cardinals seem to be even more conservative than what we have now.

Hey, I'm looking at this from a nationality angle, friend.

[Franzl]

Damn it. I wanted to post this!

I'm hoping for a shock American pick up.

The American cardinals seem to be even more conservative than what we have now.

Hey, I'm looking at this from a nationality angle, friend.

Speaking of which, I'm undecided whether that woild be a good idea. If they actually spoke out against things like capital punishment and US foreign policy (when warranted), then it would be even more powerful, but if they just ignore it....

[DC Al Fine]

Who's in the running and where are they on the Vatican spectrum?
All I'm getting here in Canada is "Marc Oullet is a Canadian!!!!"

[YL]

Who's in the running and where are they on the Vatican spectrum?
All I'm getting here in Canada is "Marc Oullet is a Canadian!!!!"

Current Paddy Power odds:
Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana) 3-1
Cardinal Marc Ouellet (Canada) 7-2
Cardinal Francis Arinze (Nigeria) 9-2
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri (Argentina) 6-1
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga (Honduras) 7-1
Cardinal Angelo Scola (Italy) 8-1
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy) 8-1
...
Richard Dawkins (UK) 666-1
Father Dougal McGuire (Craggy Island) 1000-1

[Middle-aged Europe]

Richard Dawkins (UK) 666-1

LOL

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I vote for Crocodylus

[MaxQue]

Who's in the running and where are they on the Vatican spectrum?
All I'm getting here in Canada is "Marc Oullet is a Canadian!!!!"

Believe me, I get it worse. He is from Quebec, so news are even pushing him more, and it's worse with local news, since he is born and grew in the same region than me, like 35 kilometers (22 miles) from my hometown.

So, it's really annoying and I look forward to the new Pope being elected.

[Famous Mortimer]

They aren't going to pick an African because there's a good chance he'd have previously come out in favor of killing gays. They aren't going to pick a Latin American because there's a good chance he'd have a secret family.

[Platypus]

The Italians are pretty insistent that it's their 'turn'. I can't remember which one is the archbishop of Milan, but it'll be him.

[Nhoj]

The Italians are pretty insistent that it's their 'turn'. I can't remember which one is the archbishop of Milan, but it'll be him.

I guess 400 straight years wasn't enough of a turn, and the guy your thinking is Angelo  Scola

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

The Italians do actually seem to have some of the better (and less ideologically objectionable? --but that's obviously neither here nor there) papabili this time around.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Yeah, watched an Italian news broadcast (from a left-wing network, even!) and they were blatantly rooting for Scola.

[doktorb]

Every name suggested here is followed by the sentence "...is currently regarded as the favourite to succeed Pope Benedict....." when Googled

[Iannis]

As catholic, I hope he won't be italian, even though Scola would be a wonderful Pope, basically because the Church needs to be even more international and the focus must be on Africa, Asia, South America, so I'd prefer some cardinal coming from these areas but with international expericence, that knows many languages, has energy enough to travel very much!

[Franknburger]

There is some speculation in the German press about Odilo Scherer (Sao Paolo, Brazil) being promoted by Benedict as his successor.

[minionofmidas]

Sacrilege.

Sepp Ratzinger resigning, that is. Who does he think he is - Pietro del Morrone?

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

The next Pope should be South American. Odilo Scherer seems like he'd be an acceptable choice.

[Franzl]

The next Pope should be South American. Odilo Scherer seems like he'd be an acceptable choice.

I agree. I mainly want to avoid a European or American pope more than anything.

The fellow from Ghana also seems like a good choice, although I doubt he stands any chance.

[ag]

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One reason being, he is too young. The experience of John Paul II should be sobering: only 3 of the cardinals in the Conclave that elected him where still eligible to vote the next time around. And one of these three (Jaime Cardinal Sin of Manila) was so infirm he never made it to Rome, which left just two to actually  participate. Granted, one of the two got to be elected Pope (the other was the American, William Cardinal Baum). But that was luck. For most of them it should be clear: you elect the young guy now, you won't be the Pope yourself.