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Who is Pietro Parolin? The 'deputy pope' who could be the next leader of the Catholic Church

A career diplomat and well-known Vatican figure, Cardinal Parolin has years of experience managing the church behind the scenes, but does he have the charisma some feel the next pope needs? Here is everything you need to know.

FILE - Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin is pictured in Berlin on June 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
Image: Pietro Parolin. File pic: AP
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Pietro Parolin is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the next papacy.

The 70-year-old Italian has been the Vatican's secretary of state, a role referred to as the "deputy pope", since 2013 and was closely associated with Pope Francis.

If he is elected, it will be the first time in almost 50 years that the role has gone to a native Italian.

He is tipped as a likely candidate - but predicting the outcome of a conclave is extremely difficult.

So who is Cardinal Parolin, and what qualifies him to be the next pope?

A well-known but reserved figure

Cardinal Parolin has risen through the ranks to become a powerful figure at the Vatican.

For the last 12 years, he has held the number-two position in the church as the secretary of state. He is also the Vatican's top diplomat, having greeted cardinals from around the world in Rome and travelled to meet them in their own countries.

His work in both those roles means Cardinal Parolin is perhaps the contender best known to the 133 cardinal electors who will enter the Sistine Chapel to vote for the next pope.

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Who could be the next pope?

Despite being a recognisable face, Cardinal Parolin is seen by some as lacking the public presence or personal magnetism that cardinals often look for in a pope - characteristics Francis had.

He is seen as more reserved and technocratic, likely down to years working behind the scenes in the Vatican rather than providing support to everyday people.

Days before the start of the conclave, reports circulated that Parolin had suffered a health scare, and needed medical treatment.

The reports were labelled as totally false by a Vatican spokesman, while Italian Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, told local media it was a "clear attempt" to "penalise" the cardinal, by implying he is not physically able to take on the papacy.

Pope Francis smiles as he walks alongside Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, left, and Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, prior to start an afternoon session of a two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Image: Pope Francis with Cardinal Parolin in 2014. Pic: AP

Dedicated to diplomacy

Cardinal Parolin has been a church diplomat for most of his life, having officially begun working for the Vatican's diplomatic service in 1986.

He worked in Nigeria and Mexico before being recalled to Rome in 1992, where he joined the Vatican's secretariat of state - the Vatican's foreign ministry - which deals with the Holy See's diplomatic relations.

His ability to speak multiple languages undoubtedly aided his work around the globe.

Pope Francis had a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Vladimir ZelenAG百家乐在线官网 Photo by: Galosi/pool/Spaziani/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Image: Cardinal Parolin and Ukraine's Volodymyr ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y in 2022. Pic: AP

Having become knowledgeable about matters concerning Asia and the Middle East, Cardinal Parolin helped broker a landmark deal with Beijing in 2018 that allowed the Chinese government a say in who could serve as bishops.

The deal was seen as highly controversial by some of his peers, particularly those who are more conservative leaning, who said the deal was a sell-out to the Chinese Communist Party.

Cardinal Parolin defended his work, saying it is better than no dialogue at all between the church and China. He then went on to play a part in the Holy See regaining relations with communist Vietnam.

Shangai Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, left, shakes hands with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin during an international conference to celebrate "100 years since the Concilium Sinense: between history and the present" celebrating the First Council of the Catholic Church in China, organized by the Pontifical Urbaniana University, in Rome, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Image: Cardinal Parolin with Shanghai Bishop Joseph Shen Bin. Pic: AP

A pragmatic man

A softly spoken man, Cardinal Parolin is thought to be more moderate in his beliefs than conservative or progressive.

In the past, he has defended the Vatican's power over local church leaders, saying they cannot make decisions that would end up affecting all Catholics.

Read more:
Who could be the next pope?

How is a new pope chosen?

He has also, controversially, condemned the legalisation of same-sex marriage in many countries as "a defeat for humanity" and criticised efforts in Germany to bless same-sex unions.

Throughout Pope Francis's papacy, he had to quietly defend and explain some of the pope's more off-the-cuff comments about the Ukraine war and Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Mr Vance met with the Vatican's number two, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
Image: US vice president JD Vance met Pietro Parolin just before Pope Francis died

Before the pope's death, Cardinal Parolin also met with US vice president JD Vance. The pair spoke about "countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners", according to a Vatican statement at the time.

The Vatican described Cardinal Parolin and Mr Vance as having "cordial talks" that included "an exchange of opinions on the international situation".

Pope Francis, Cardinal Parolin and other Vatican officials have previously criticised several Trump administration policies, including the US leader's plans to deport migrants from the US and his widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programmes.

Financial scandal

Under Cardinal Parolin's watch, the Vatican's foreign ministry lost around £119m after a botched investment on a
London property.

The deal led to a Vatican corruption trial in which Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was one of Cardinal Parolin's top deputies, was convicted of embezzlement and fraud.

Cardinal Parolin testified at the trial but was not among those accused.

Cardinal Becciu denies wrongdoing and is appealing the verdict, but agreed in 2020 that he would not participate in any future conclave.

Use our slider below to look through some of the key contenders to be the next pope. For more on who the different cardinals are, read our explainer story.