Pope choice: Pope Francis passed away at the weekend, following a period of illness over the past few months. Cardinals are expected to meet in May to elect a successor, but how much of a difference do Britons think it makes to the world who becomes pope?
Half of Britons (52%) think the choice has little to no impact on the world, compared to just over a third (37%) who think it makes a great deal or fair amount of difference.
Pope Francis’s Political Landscape
Pope Francis, elected in 2013, was the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, bringing a progressive lens to Catholic social teaching. His political views often aligned with global progressive movements, challenging traditionalist and conservative factions within and beyond the Church. Key areas include:
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Climate Change and Environmental Justice: In his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ (Pope Francis Encyclical Laudato Si’), Francis critiqued unregulated capitalism, stating, “The Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” linking environmental degradation with social inequality. He emphasized developed nations’ responsibility at Cop summits, though health issues, including a five-week hospitalization in March 2025 for pneumonia, prevented his attendance at Cop28 in 2023 (Guardian on Climate Advocacy).
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Migration and Human Rights: Francis was a staunch advocate for migrants, describing mass migration as a “permanent 21st-century phenomenon” in Laudato Si’. His 2013 visit to Lampedusa condemned European “indifference,” and he brought Muslim families from Lesbos in 2016, calling Rohingya refugees “the presence of God today” in Bangladesh in 2017 (CNN on Rohingya). His 2016 remark, “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,” targeted U.S. policies under Trump, reflecting his global stance (Guardian Article on Pope Francis).
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Critique of Right-Wing Populism: In Fratelli Tutti (2020) and Let Us Dream, Francis countered xenophobic nationalism, advocating a post-Covid humanism and criticizing western selfishness. His clashes with U.S. Catholic VP JD Vance over Trump’s mass deportation policies in 2025 highlighted tensions, with Francis urging opposition to narratives discriminating against migrants (NCR on Vance).
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Economic Inequality and Social Justice: In Evangelii Gaudium (2013), he condemned the “idolatry of money,” stating, “As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation, no solution will be found for the world’s problems” (Wikipedia on Theology). This critique provoked backlash from capitalist advocates, aligning with his call for structural changes to address poverty.
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Inter-Faith Dialogue and Church Reform: Francis improved relations with Islam, notably meeting Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Iraq in 2021 (YouTube on Iraq Visit). He also pushed for church decentralization, criticizing “triumphalism, clericalism, and legalism” and convening the Synod on Synodality in 2023, described as the most significant event since Vatican II (BBC on Legacy).
His views often clashed with traditionalists, especially U.S. conservatives like Cardinals Burke and Pell, who saw his papacy as a “catastrophe,” reflecting a polarized legacy (Guardian on Progressives).
Pope Francis did not visit the UK, but his influence on British Catholics was significant. In 2013, Archbishop Vincent Nichols described him as “a gift,” noting reinvigorated engagement and changed public perception, with an estimated 5 million Catholics in Britain (Guardian on UK Catholics). A survey showed only 5% fulfilled “faithful” criteria (weekly mass, belief in God, opposed to abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia), with 50% using reason, 8% following church teachings, 7% looking to God, 2% to the Bible, and 0% to religious leaders (ibid.). Post-election, Westminster Cathedral reported a confession surge, with 8 priests for 8 hours daily over 6 days unable to meet demand, indicating increased participation.
His global messages on migration, climate, and justice align with UK issues. His 2016 remark on walls versus bridges resonates with UK immigration debates, while Laudato Si’ supports UK climate efforts. His emphasis on human dignity likely influenced the Catholic community, suggesting a positive, indirect impact, though he made no specific UK-focused statements.
Recent Survey Results
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U.S. Data: A Pew Research Center survey in February 2025 showed at least 80% of U.S. Catholics had a favorable opinion of Francis in 10 of 15 surveys since 2013, with a partisan gap: 88% of Democratic-leaning Catholics versus 69% of Republican-leaning Catholics (Pew Research on Public Opinion). This reflects his polarizing legacy, with liberals appreciating progressivism and conservatives critiquing leniency on social issues.
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UK Data: Specific 2025 surveys on Francis’s popularity were not found, but the 2013 Guardian article indicated his papacy transformed British Catholic engagement, with increased confessions and public visibility, suggesting sustained positive impact (Guardian on UK Catholics).
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