Pope Francis is dead, and tributes have poured in from across the globe. He has been widely praised for his stances on Gaza, immigration, and climate justice. Among liberal and younger Catholics, he was long viewed as the reformer the Church needed. His passing marks the end of what many consider the most progressive era in recent Catholic history.
Pope Francis also played a notable role in the Abrahamic House project, in an effort to come near the Muslim world, albeit with its more liberal currents. He was often described as conciliatory on LGBTQ issues. In 2013, when asked about the presence of a “gay lobby” within the Vatican, he responded, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”
Papacy and Ideological Battle
The late Pope has been romanticised by many as a universally beloved figure, so much so that both Hamas and Hezbollah issued tributes upon his death. In stark contrast, Israel posted and swiftly deleted a condolence message. Pope Francis also had a rocky rapport with former U.S. President Donald Trump, with the two clashing publicly in 2016 over immigration and the proposed border wall. His positions have made him a polarising figure among right-wing circles. In Argentina, his home country, President Javier Milei, a prominent far-right leader, described him during his 2023 campaign as “the representation of evil on Earth.” One might reasonably infer that the rising European far-right shares a similar disdain.
The divide surrounding Pope Francis has echoed within the Catholic Church itself. His papacy cultivated an authoritative leadership style favouring the political and theological left, and uncompromising toward the right. He is widely believed to have intentionally elevated liberal-leaning bishops to the rank of cardinal.
In November 2023, Pope Francis stripped conservative American Cardinal Raymond Burke of his position overseeing the Order of Malta. Burke, considered a leading voice of the Church’s conservative faction, has been a central figure for American Catholics critical of Francis’s reforms. That same year, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, was also dismissed from his post, largely due to his outspoken opposition to what he viewed as a deviation from traditional Church teachings.
Francis ascended to the papacy when progressive lobbies held considerable influence, particularly during the Obama administration. Today, however, with the rise of Trump-era conservatism and a resurgent far-right across Europe, the political pendulum appears to be swinging in the opposite direction. This regrouping right will likely seek spiritual affirmation—and political alignment—in the next pope. It is reasonable to expect that pro-Israel and conservative factions will push for a pontiff more aligned with their worldview.
Indeed, Francis’s political flexibility and conciliatory tone may shape the conversations leading up to the next papal conclave, especially during the “General Congregations”—the meetings that precede the election of a new pope. It is worth recalling that in 2013, the corruption crisis dominated those pre-conclave discussions, paving the way for Francis, a champion of socio-economic justice.
These current debates echo the storyline of The Conclave, a 2024 film that dramatises the backroom intrigues of a papal election. The movie portrays factions of left- and right-leaning cardinals manoeuvring to install their preferred candidate at the helm of the Church. That premise now feels less like fiction and more like a reflection of the geopolitical tensions surrounding the Holy See.
With ideology expected to loom large in the coming vote, political forces appear keen to influence the outcome. The recent visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance to the Vatican on Easter could be interpreted as a strategic effort by conservative actors to align with the Vatican.
Right-Wing Pope?
But then, what would it mean for the papacy to align itself with the global far right? It would not necessarily resemble a new crusade, at least not in the sense of the one evoked by Pope Urban II (d. 1099). Yet history teaches us that the theological indulgences of the papacy have been adaptable to the political language of the time. Today, rising currents of extreme Christian nationalism in parts of the West might redefine what a modern “crusade” looks like, targeting Muslim minorities, amplifying xenophobic rhetoric, or promoting the “great replacement” doctrine.
A historical reflection offers a sobering reminder that the papacy has not always embodied the gentle, inclusive image it cultivated in the Francis era. In more recent memory, in September 2006, Pope Benedict XVI caused global outrage when, during a lecture in Germany, he cited a 14th-century Byzantine emperor who characterised Islam as “evil” and disparaged both the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an. Though then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (later Pope Francis) publicly condemned the speech, such incidents offer a cautionary glimpse of what might return under a more conservative papacy.
Vatican and Zionism
Another likely outcome under a right-leaning papacy is a deepening alliance between the Vatican and Zionist interests. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI significantly strengthened ties with Israel. Pope Francis also began his papacy with goodwill gestures, visiting Israel in 2014. Should the next pope emerge from the conservative bloc, analysts expect these ties to remain strong, if not intensify.
The irony is striking. Historically, the Catholic Church was among the fiercest institutional antagonists of the Jewish people. But the new world order dramatically reshaped this. In 1965, the Second Vatican Council issued Nostra Aetate, a doctrinal declaration that rejected the notion of collective Jewish guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus and affirmed Jews as “dearest to God.”
Yet Church history also shows that theological alignment has never been a prerequisite for political alliance. In the 13th century, Pope Gregory X sought to forge a Catholic-Mongol coalition against Muslim powers. Over the centuries, the papacy has repeatedly pursued strategic partnerships, even with non-Christian entities, to counter Islam. Against this backdrop, a right-wing pope in 2025 could very well offer spiritual backing to a broader right-wing agenda, potentially aligning with Zionist forces in a shared campaign against Muslim communities, particularly those in Europe.
Ultimately, whether under a progressive or conservative pontiff, Muslims—both in the West and beyond—must remain vigilant. As the Qur’an reminds us: “Never will the Jews or the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their religion.” (Al-Baqara, 2:120)
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