A new analysis reveals that the College of Cardinals has become “less European” as a result of Pope Francis’ selections, giving developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America a stronger influence.
The 83 cardinals chosen by the Argentinian pope who are now under the age of 80 and qualified to vote in a papal conclave were the subject of the Pew Research Center analysis.
Those appointees presently make up the majority (63%) of the 132 cardinals of voting age, 16 of whom won’t be installed until August 27.
The remaining cardinals were chosen by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II, Francis’ predecessors.
The majority of Francis’s voting-age appointees—28, or 34% of the total, are from Europe, more than from any other continent.
However, after the most recent group of picks is in place, Europe’s share will have decreased from 52 percent in 2013, when Francis was elected, to 40 percent.
Other regions of the world have advanced in the meantime, with the Asia-Pacific area leading the way.
According to the data, the region’s overall proportion of cardinals of voting age increased from 9 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2022.
Additionally, Sub-Saharan Africa is improving, going from 9 to 12 percent.
From 16 to 18 percent, Latin America and the Caribbean had a relatively modest increase.
According to Pew, “of the 83 newly appointed or currently eligible voting cardinals Francis has named so far during his pontificate, 34% are from Europe, 22% from the Asia-Pacific region, 20% from Latin America and the Caribbean, 13% from sub-Saharan Africa, 8% from North America, and 2% from the Middle East-North Africa region.”