In papal politics,
kingmakers are key

updated 7:17 p.m. ET April 14, 2005

VATICAN CITY - In the conclave that elected Pope John Paul II, it took an Austrian cardinal to break an impasse among Italians to pave the way for the first Polish pontiff.

Call them power brokers, kingmakers or “great electors,” certain cardinals have historically played a key role in deciding papal elections, finding consensus among the various ideological, linguistic and geographic factions of the Roman Catholic Church.

In next week’s conclave to elect John Paul’s successor, Vatican watchers have singled out German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who has been the Vatican’s guardian of church orthodoxy, as both papal candidate and kingmaker.

Both Ratzinger’s age — he turns 78 on Saturday — and his conservative policies in line with John Paul’s are seen as making him a possible pope or a prestigious figure to rally around.

Who can stop Ratzinger?
In an interesting contrast, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Thursday pointed to the retired Milan archbishop, 78-year-old Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, as a figure to put the brakes on a Ratzinger candidacy. Martini could gather enough votes to block Ratzinger and allow another cardinal to emerge, according to this scenario.

But nationality is not necessarily the decisive factor. By Corriere della Sera’s account, several German cardinals would be willing to join in a move to block Ratzinger because of his policies. Some have pleaded unsuccessfully for years for the Vatican to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion in the church.

Martini, reportedly ailing and considered too liberal to be elected pope, could be a true kingmaker.

Such powerful figures as Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the No. 2 Vatican official, and Cardinal Camillio Ruini, vicar for Rome under John Paul, are also seen as “great electors.”

Because the cardinals are sworn to secrecy about the conclave, no authoritative information is available about the voting. But some accounts filter out from the closeted gathering, often second hand from cardinals who are not allowed to participate because they are over 80 and don’t feel bound by the secrecy oath.

MORE FROM POPE REMEMBERED

Pope remembered Section Front

Images: Final farewell for Pope John Paul II   Images: A historic papacy   Images: Paying respects to late pontiff   Images: Mourning Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II remembered NBC: Perhaps ‘Saint John Paul? Benedict watches movie about John Paul II Live Vote: Sainthood for John Paul? Quiz: How much do you remember? Pope remembered Section Front   Add Pope remembered headlines to your news reader: