What to Know About the Conclave to Choose Pope Francis' Successor
Who are the top contenders?
Experts say there isn't a single front-runner, but several names have been cited. It's very difficult to predict who will be chosen: Before the selection of Pope Francis in 2013, many bookmakers did not count him among the front-runners.
One big question is whether a successor to Francis should push forward or roll back the changes he made to the church. Many of the contenders are aligned with Francis, though some are more progressive or conservative.
One big-name candidate is Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy, who was Francis' second-in-command and who may have the support of the Curia, as the Vatican bureaucracy is known.
Others are considered more charismatic, like Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, who is sometimes called the 'Asian Francis.'
Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary, an expert on canon law, is expected to be a front-runner among cardinals who long for a return to the conservatism of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
The next pope technically doesn't have to be among the cardinals who can vote. But he will almost certainly come from the conclave's electorate.
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