Thursday, April 21, 2005
LANDSLIDE ?
This article from The Australian almost makes the conclave sound like a landslide:
Although Ratzinger started the conclave as favourite, many experts had said he was too divisive and too old to win.
But his election in one of the swiftest conclaves in a century suggested he decisively consolidated his position in the first three votes before winning the fourth on Wednesday.
Italian newspapers, considered to have the best inside track on events inside the secret meeting, agreed that Ratzinger garnered well over the two thirds, or 77, votes he needed from the 115 voting cardinals. Some suggested he won more than 100.
He has indicated his Papacy will be a continuation of that of John Paul II by confirming current heads of Curia bureaucracies, including Secretary of State Sodano.
Meanwhile from Spain comes the first challenge, indicating he is not going to get a period of time to settle in:
In an early potential challenge for Benedict, Spain's parliament gave initial approval today for a law legalising gay marriage, which Ratzinger has previously condemned as eroding Europe's social identity.
I'm sure there are going to be many more.
Cardinals Lehman and Kasper headed up one branch of the opposition, while Cardinal Martini, another opposing candidate, already has a form of Parkinson's Disease which is surprising in light of the death of Pope John Paul II.
