President Erdoğan meets Italian Prime Minister Meloni in Rome
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on the sidelines of the 4th Türkiye–Italy Intergovernmental Summit
As Catholic cardinals prepare to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, a key question arises: will the papacy return to an Italian after nearly 50 years of foreign leadership?
For centuries, Italians dominated the papacy, holding the position unbroken for 455 years until 1978, when Polish-born John Paul II was elected. Since then, the role has passed to German Pope Benedict and Argentine Pope Francis. Now, with the conclave set to begin on May 7, speculation is growing around several Italian candidates, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State; Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna; and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, based in Jerusalem.
Despite Italy’s strong historical ties to the papacy, its influence has declined in recent decades. Italians now make up only 14% of the cardinal electors, compared to 24% in 2013. The Italian vote could be split among multiple candidates, reducing the chance of a united front.
Historian Alberto Melloni pointed out that Italy's failure to back a single candidate in past conclaves contributed to the election of non-Italians. Internal divisions and unwillingness to compromise have often made Italian contenders seem less viable.
Though Italian cardinals avoid openly campaigning, many emphasize that the pope’s origin should matter less than spiritual wisdom. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco stated that faith and leadership are more important than nationality.
However, a past financial scandal could damage Italy's chances. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a former top official under Parolin, was dismissed in 2020 and later convicted for financial misconduct involving a London property deal. Although Parolin wasn’t implicated, the scandal has resurfaced, casting a shadow over the Italian bloc. Becciu announced he would not attend the conclave to avoid controversy.
Experts note that the leading Italian candidates have significant international experience, a shift from past traditions. Whether this makes them more acceptable to global cardinals or whether internal tensions will again work against them, remains to be seen in the coming days.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
A deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port has left at least 40 dead, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, halting operations at one of the country’s most vital trade hubs.
North Korea has launched a new 5,000-tonne destroyer as part of Kim Jong Un’s plans to expand the country’s naval power far beyond its coastal waters.
A vehicle crashed into a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver, killing 11 and injuring dozens.
A massive explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least four people and injured nearly 600 others, officials said, prompting an urgent government investigation.
The United States and Ukraine have signed a sweeping economic partnership agreement focused on developing Ukraine’s mineral resources, as the Trump administration pushes for a long-term peace plan more than three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion.
U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong are stepping down, marking the first significant change in the President’s inner circle since he took office in January, U.S. media reported on Thursday.
South Korea has won a landmark $18.2 billion contract to build two nuclear reactors in the Czech Republic—its first overseas nuclear power project in 16 years—signaling a renewed push into Europe's growing energy market.
In Tunisia’s capital Tunis on Thursday, both opponents and supporters of President Kais Saied held separate demonstrations, reflecting an increasingly polarized political climate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet diplomats from the European troika—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—in Rome on Friday, ahead of a scheduled fourth round of indirect talks with US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
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