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Sky News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conclave live: New Pope elected as white smoke rises above Vatican
People taken off guard as white smoke emerged Our Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins is in St Peter's Square right now amid the celebrations. She says when the white smoke appeared there was a "huge roar from the crowd". "The cheering continued and then the bell started ringing," she says. "I think people thought it was going to be slightly later in the evening and so people were taken off guard." The 267th pope has been chosen - what happens now? Now we've seen the white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel chimney, what happens next? We await the big reveal of the new pope's identity from the balcony of St Peter's. That will include... The Latin pronouncement of "Habemus papam" - meaning "we have a pope"; This will be followed by another religious phrase in Latin; We'll then get the forename of the elected cardinal - again in Latin; Then, we'll get some more religious Latin; Only then will we get the elected cardinal's surname in Latin; And finally, the reveal of the elected cardinal's chosen papal name in Latin. New pope chosen - as white smoke emerges White smoke is beginning to emerge from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel. This means a new pontiff has been elected on the second day of the conclave. Crowds are cheering and there is an eruption of applause in St Peter's Square. People gathering in St Peter's Square More and more people are gathering in St Peter's Square, our producer Eleonora Chiarella, who is there on the ground, reports... Here is what she can see... The conclave in numbers Here's the conclave in numbers: We've got 133 cardinals still trying to elect a pontiff still trying to elect a pontiff They have to be aged under 80 to take part to take part They've had three rounds of voting so far - with two more expected this afternoon - unless we get a new pope on the first of those... so far - with expected this afternoon - unless we get a new pope on the first of those... To elect a new pontiff, a two-thirds majority is needed, or 89 votes Pope Francis's successor would become the 276th pope Around 15,000 people are said to have travelled to St Peter's Square today are said to have travelled to St Peter's Square today There are said to be almost 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide 'White smoke could be seen as early as this evening' As we watch the Sistine Chapel chimney, one cardinal has suggested that white smoke could be seen as early as this evening. Speaking as crowds wait for smoke to emerge, Cardinal Domenico Calcagno, 82, who served as president of the administration of the patrimony of the Holy See, said: "The white smoke could be as early as this evening or more likely it will arrive tomorrow morning." Cardinal Calcagno is outside the conclave as he is over 80 years old, and only cardinals under 80 can vote in the secret ballot. As we have been reporting today, the 133 cardinals have resumed voting after spending the night at their Vatican residences. Earlier today, black smoke again billowed out of the Sistine Chapel, meaning the cardinals have failed to elect a new pope after three ballots. In pictures: Umbrellas out as hot weather hits Much of today is a waiting game for the (hopeful) moment white smoke is seen, signalling an end to the voting process. But amid 20C hot weather, many of those who have made the journey out are taking shelter against the sun under their umbrellas. Beyond the personalities, what could influence a vote for pontiff? We've spoken often about how the personalities of cardinals influence votes. But some practical factors play a role too. If a relatively younger man is picked, say in his 60s, suddenly the Catholic Church is looking at a papacy maybe lasting two decades or maybe even longer. There will be a question over whether that's what the cardinals want. Alongside that, picking a pope where the church is growing - like Asia or Africa - could bring upheaval to the internal Italian-heavy bureaucracy of the Vatican. This structure is already reeling from the late pope's go-it-alone style. But such a decision could also serve to accelerate growth in these areas. Watch chimney-cam live as afternoon voting begins With this afternoon's voting now in session, all eyes return to the chimney. If you want to join the world in watching, press play on the stream below. Remember, black smoke means no new pope and white smoke means a successor has been chosen. Afternoon voting begins It's 3.30pm which means the cardinals have begun the afternoon session of voting. The doors of the Sistine Chapel have been sealed, so all eyes return to the chimney to see whether the 133 cardinals can reach a decision. There is time for two rounds of voting between now and 6pm. It marks the fourth and fifth round of voting after two failed this morning. If successful, we'll see white smoke. A round of voting lasts roughly an hour, so we could see a result as soon as 4.30pm. We'll only see black smoke if both rounds of voting fail, later in the evening session. Stick with us for the latest...
Sky News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conclave live: Cardinals return for day two of conclave as crowds gather outside Sistine Chapel
Conclave day two Cardinals return for day two of conclave after failing to elect new pope yesterday First round of voting begins at 8.30am - then we wait to see smoke White smoke above Sistine Chapel signals a successor is chosen, but black smoke signals the wait goes on Reporting by Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbinsand Europe producer Simone Baglivo in Vatican City In depth How the late pontiff is still playing a role in electing his successor While we're all here asking the question of who will replace Pope Francis, the late pontiff himself is playing his own role in the process. The cardinals of the Catholic Church aged under 80 are those locked in the Sistine Chapel for the secretive vote. There are 133 of them this time around, and the Pope named 108 of them. He chose many of them from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga. Many of these were places that had never had a cardinal before. Francis's decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors has both lengthened the amount of time it takes for each vote to be processed and also injected more uncertainty into the vote. Also as a result of his work, this conclave is the most geographically diverse in the faith's 2,000-year history. Conclave day two key timings Here are all of the key timings for day two of the conclave. Up to four rounds of voting can take place each day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon. All of the following are in UK timings: The morning session runs from 8.30am-11.30am, with two votes taking place during this session. The second round of voting today runs from 3.30pm-6.00pm. Again, two rounds of voting will take place during this. However, black smoke is only sent out after two consecutive failed voting sessions. This means, if we get smoke ahead of roughly 11.30am or 6pm then there's a good chance it could be white smoke. In pictures: Faithful queue for spot in St Peter's Square Tens of thousands of people waited to see smoke above the Sistine Chapel in St Peter's Square last night - and crowds are gathering again this morning. Cardinals return for day two of voting Welcome back to our live coverage of the conclave as the wait for a new pope goes on. Last night, black smoke above the Sistine Chapel signalled the 133 cardinals had failed to elect a replacement for Pope Francis in the first round of voting - four hours after they entered the building. At 8.30am UK time this morning, they will return to the Sistine Chapel to continue voting. Up to four rounds of voting can take place each day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Last night we expected to see smoke above the chapel at 6pm but it didn't come until 8pm. Vatican sources told Sky News that the delay in yesterday's voting was for two reasons: The sermon by Raniero Cantalamessa, an Italian cardinal, was longer than expected (between 45 minutes and one hour); Several cardinals needed help with the translation. It remains a wide-open election with one of the biggest and most geographically diverse College of Cardinals in history. To win, one man needs to secure a two-thirds majority of the 133 cardinals, or 89 votes, to become the 267th pope. For recent popes, it has generally taken a few rounds of voting to elect a successor. When a successor is chosen, white smoke will rise from the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals began the secretive, centuries-old ritual yesterday afternoon, participating in a rite so theatrical that Hollywood recreated it this year in the Ralph Fiennes-led film. The voting is undertaken secretly and in silence, a process designed to be free from external interference. Large crowds gathered outside the chapel in St Peter's Square yesterday to wait for the first smoke signal and are already returning this morning. Stay with us for the latest throughout the day. That's all for this evening That concludes our coverage of the first day of conclave. As expected, cardinals sent black smoke out of the Sistine Chapel, meaning no decision has been made on Pope Francis's successor. It means the 133 cardinals have not come to a decision in the first vote of the conclave, and the process continues. There will now be a maximum of four votes a day from tomorrow until a new pope is elected. Still, tens of thousands of believers waited in the Vatican to take in the proceedings, which began with Mass and a march of the cardinals. Cardinals will go to pray in the Pauline Chapel at 7.45am tomorrow - that's 6.45am in the UK. Then they'll go into the Sistine Chapel to vote at 9.30am local time (8.30am UK time). We'll bring you the latest updates as they happen. Until then, goodnight. 'Collective groan' when black smoke emerged There was a "collective groan" when black smoke emerged, our Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins, who is at the Vatican, says. She says it had been a "tense few hours" before the black smoke finally emerged from the Sistine Chapel. "As each hour ticked by, the tension rose and if someone clapped or thought they had seen smoke, everyone then peered to try and catch a glimpse of it - but then there was no result hour after hour," she says. "And then people started wondering if we were going to get a pope. And then nerves frayed even further." She says when the black smoke rose there was a "collective groan" and people started leaving St Peter's Square "very quickly". Robbins also says people from around the world had arrived to the Vatican "wanting to be a part of history" and see who would follow Pope Francis. How did the first round of voting unfold? No pope was elected today. And so cardinals will return to voting tomorrow. Here, we take a look at how today unfolded at the Sistine Chapel... Just after 3.30pm UK time , the 133 cardinals began filing into the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave takes place; After taking their positions in the chapel they placed their birettas on the table as they took a collective oath of secrecy; They then took their individual oath of secrecy; At around 4.43pm, cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, who was the last to enter, took his oath; And at around 4.47pm, the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed - and the conclave to elect a new pope was under way; Finally, at 8pm UK time, black smoke emerged from chimney - meaning conclave will continue tomorrow. Vatican confirms reasons for voting delay Crowds were left waiting for hours today as cardinals began their first round of voting. And Vatican sources have now confirmed to Sky's team on the ground the two causes for the voting delay. Here are the reasons: The sermon by Raniero Cantalamessa, an Italian cardinal, was longer than expected (between 45 minutes and one hour); Several cardinals needed help with the translation. It should be noted on the second reason that many of the cardinals don't speak any Italian or Latin and have also been in the role for a short period of time. Watch: No new pope elected in first ballot Earlier, black smoke emerged from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel. This means the 133 cardinals have not come to a decision in the first vote of the conclave, and the process continues. Here is the moment that black smoke emerged... In pictures: Thousands gathered ahead of black smoke moment Ahead of black smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel an hour ago, meaning no new pope has been named today, thousands were gathered in the Vatican, keen to get a first glimpse. Here's a look at the size of those crowds...
Sky News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conclave live: Vatican reveals two reasons behind first vote delay as cardinals return to conclave in the morning
'Collective groan' when black smoke emerged There was a "collective groan" when black smoke emerged, our Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins, who is at the Vatican, says. She says it had been a "tense few hours" before the black smoke finally emerged from the Sistine Chapel. "As each hour ticked by, the tension rose and if someone clapped or thought they had seen smoke, everyone then peered to try and catch a glimpse of it - but then there was no result hour after hour," she says. "And then people started wondering if we were going to get a pope. And then nerves frayed even further." She says when the black smoke rose there was a "collective groan" and people started leaving St Peter's Square "very quickly". Robbins also says people from around the world had arrived to the Vatican "wanting to be a part of history" and see who would follow Pope Francis. How did the first round of voting unfold? No pope was elected today. And so cardinals will return to voting tomorrow. Here, we take a look at how today unfolded at the Sistine Chapel... Just after 3.30pm UK time , the 133 cardinals began filing into the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave takes place; After taking their positions in the chapel they placed their birettas on the table as they took a collective oath of secrecy; They then took their individual oath of secrecy; At around 4.43pm, cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, who was the last to enter, took his oath; And at around 4.47pm, the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed - and the conclave to elect a new pope was under way; Finally, at 8pm UK time, black smoke emerged from chimney - meaning conclave will continue tomorrow. Vatican confirms reasons for voting delay Crowds were left waiting for hours today as cardinals began their first round of voting. And Vatican sources have now confirmed to Sky's team on the ground the two causes for the voting delay. Here are the reasons: The sermon by Raniero Cantalamessa, an Italian cardinal, was longer than expected (between 45 minutes and one hour); Several cardinals needed help with the translation. It should be noted on the second reason that many of the cardinals don't speak any Italian or Latin and have also been in the role for a short period of time. Watch: No new pope elected in first ballot Earlier, black smoke emerged from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel. This means the 133 cardinals have not come to a decision in the first vote of the conclave, and the process continues. Here is the moment that black smoke emerged... In pictures: Thousands gathered ahead of black smoke moment Ahead of black smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel an hour ago, meaning no new pope has been named today, thousands were gathered in the Vatican, keen to get a first glimpse. Here's a look at the size of those crowds... Will be interesting to see if Vatican explains first vote smoke delay, Sky News commentator says Sky News commentator Alastair Bruce says it will be "interesting" to see if the Vatican explains the delayed first smoke from the Sistine Chapel. We were expecting to hear news of the first round of voting at 6pm, but instead only saw sight of black smoke at around 8pm. Bruce tells Sky's Mark Austin that it has been "a long day" for the cardinals, and that after being bussed away from the chapel, they will retire for dinner and prayer, "but I expect they'll want to go to bed" ahead of a 7.30am return to voting. When asked about the delay, and whether we're likely to get an explanation, he said: "My feeling is that even the sala stampa - the press office - doesn't have links to what's going on in the conclave. "They're probably keeping at a distance as well, to reassure us that they are also at a distance." Earlier, Bruce said: "I don't know, all sorts of things could happen, but we don't know." "Romans going back through history have had to wait for this." Austin agreed, saying that by its nature, conclave is "shrouded in mystery". Cardinals will want 'havoc' of Francis era to end, church commentator argues We've been hearing from a Catholic commentator on Sky News who thinks the cardinals will vote for a safer and perhaps a more conservative pope after the Francis era. Charles Collins, the managing director of online Catholic news publication Crux now, told Sky's Mark Austin that whichever cardinal is elected in this conclave, they will want to change course from Pope Francis. "I think that there will be changes," he said. "Pope Francis, when he became pope, said he wanted to 'cause a ruckus', to see what happens. "I think most of the cardinals want that ruckus… that havoc to end. "Whoever gets elected, I think you're going to see a lot more normality… you never knew what you were going to see [with Francis]." He goes on to say Pope Francis's politics were influenced by his origins in Argentina, a "little bit different than what we would think of" in the West. "He liked to keep people on their toes, and I think all of the cardinals… want to rest," Collins says. In pictures: People react to black smoke emerging from chimney As black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the conclave's first ballot, the hundreds gathered in St Peter's Square reacted. The smoke came around four hours after the 133 cardinals solemnly entered the chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis. With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals will retire for the night to the Vatican residences where they are staying. Hundreds of people leaving St Peter's Square Streams of people are making their way home for the evening after the cardinals failed to elect a new pope on their first vote, our specialist producer Eleonora Chiarella, who is on the ground, reports. The 133 cardinals will now begin a second day of voting tomorrow. Black smoke emerges from chimney - meaning conclave will continue tomorrow Black smoke has emerged from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel. This means the 133 cardinals have not come to a decision in the first vote of the conclave, and the process continues. There will now be a maximum of four votes a day from tomorrow until a new pope is elected.
Sky News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conclave live: Cardinals gather before start of vote for next pope - after hot mic moment
Procession begins after final prayer After a final prayer which has just been read out in the Pauline Chapel, the procession to the Sistine Chapel is now under way. Conclave: Watch and follow full coverage across Sky News As well as bringing you updates on this page, our team of presenters and correspondents is at the Vatican to bring you live television coverage of the conclave. For as long as it takes, our chief presenter Mark Austin will guide you through all the key moments with commentator Alastair Bruce. Siobhan Robbins, our Europe correspondent, is on the ground in Vatican City and speaking to those who are gathering as the conclave begins. The scene inside Pauline Chapel We can now bring you some more pictures of the scene inside the Pauline Chapel where 133 cardinals are seated. They will soon be starting a procession over to the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave will be taking place. Cardinals gather for prayer before start of conclave We're starting to see the first of the 133 cardinals responsible for choosing the next pope gather ahead of the procession. They're gathering at the Pauline Chapel to pray and will then form a procession over to the Sistine Chapel singing Veni Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit). You can watch along in the stream at the top of this live page, and we'll be bringing you the latest updates here. Watch: What happens during a conclave? With cardinals set to gather in the next few moments, the start of the conclave is edging ever closer. The meeting to elect the new pope is held in secrecy in the Sistine Chapel with phones handed over, windows covered and the building even swept for bugs. We take you through exactly what happens in this video: Coming up: Procession, oath of secrecy - then doors close Our Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins is in Vatican City, and says we'll see the line of cardinal electors walking from the Pauline Chapel into the Sistine Chapel in the next hour. "They're going to take an oath of secrecy. They'll take it as a collective, and then individually," she says. "When all that process is done, the doors are shut. We'll hear the words read out in Latin and that's when that top secret negotiation, the election begins. "One by one they'll be called, we've seen the numbers that have been written on white balls." Robbins says that the cardinals will be called to cast their votes in the election, and then "at some point this evening, we will hope to see the smoke". Of course, black smoke means that no decision has been made, and white smoke means a new pope has been elected. What are the chances of a British pope? It's been 866 years since the papacy of Britain's only ever pontiff (Pope Adrian IV) ended in 1159, and the history of the Catholic Church in the UK since then has been turbulent. It is not thought that any of the UK or Irish cardinals are among the favourites to succeed Pope Francis. Cardinal Sean Brady, Ireland's only Catholic cardinal, will turn 86 this summer and so is also unable to vote because of his age, as is Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald, from Birmingham, who will turn 88 in August. Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, from Liverpool, and the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, is taking part in conclave, as is Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, who is from London. Aged 75, Cardinal Arthur Roche, from West Yorkshire and based in Rome, is the youngest of the UK and Ireland's cardinals. Both Cardinal Radcliffe and Cardinal Nichols appeared to rule themselves out of the running soon after Francis's death was announced. Scotland has no Catholic cardinals. There is also Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is Irish-born but is seen as an American cardinal having ministered mainly in the US. He has been based in Rome for some years. Cardinal Farrell was the one to announce the death of Pope Francis and, as camerlengo, has been the senior official ensuring the smooth running of the church until a new pontiff is chosen, including organising the meetings of cardinals preceding the conclave. For profiles on each British cardinal, read on here... Where do cardinals sleep during the conclave? As cardinals prepare to gather ahead of their procession over to the Sistine Chapel, they're about to enter a period of secrecy. The conclave will only end once two-thirds of the 133 cardinals have come to an agreement on the new pope. For that reason, they will be staying at Casa Santa Marta - a guesthouse inside the Vatican's grounds. That's because the process can go on for some time. The longest conclave lasted almost three years between 1268 and 1271. Although, it's worth noting that several have lasted only one day. The most recent conclaves - for Pope Francis in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope John Paul II in 1978 - all lasted less than three days. Media attention building as conclave nears It's approaching 3pm, which is when we expect to start seeing cardinals before they make their way over to the Sistine Chapel. The media attention has been building throughout the day, with camera crews setting up near St Peter's Basilica. 'Double best wishes': Dean of cardinals overheard giving message to papal frontrunner We have a hot mic moment to bring you now, which could be significant in this week's conclave... Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re went to greet Cardinal Pietro Parolin at the end of morning mass earlier. It looks as though Re - the dean of the cardinals who led the mass - might not have been aware of the live feed showing pictures from Vatican City at the time. Battista Re, 91, was overheard on the feed telling Parolin: "Best wishes. Double best wishes." In the original Italian, this was "auguri... auguri doppi". Watch the moment below... Parolin, 70, is the current frontrunner in the contest to become the next pope. However, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The dean of cardinals usually presides over the vote. But in this conclave, the current dean - Re - is over the eligible voting age, and so the election will be led by Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state. So, it's quite possible Re was simply wishing Parolin good luck for running the process. But then Re did say "double best wishes"... Read all about the man known as "deputy pope" since 2013 in our explainer below:
Sky News
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Election latest: Trump hails 'great day for Germany' as conservatives and far-right on track for record vote shares
Analysis: Exit poll may appear decisive - but path to coalition is not clear yet By Siobhan Robbins, Europe correspondent Initial exit polls appear to confirm what we have known for weeks: that the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) have got the most votes in the federal election, with Friedrich Merz most likely to be the next chancellor. While this result isn't a surprise, it doesn't mean the path to power will be easy. First off, the CDU-CSU don't have a majority so they need to try to build a coalition. Their most obvious choices as partners are the third place Social Democrats (SPD). A two-party coalition is preferred as it can avoid excess bickering - but the SPD and CDU disagree on several key points including sending long range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. Forming a government can take months, but Merz is keen to speed up the process aware of the pressing issues both at home and abroad. One of those is the rise of the far-right, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party celebrating historic results. The initial results suggest that, for the first time since the Second World War, a far-right party has got the second highest amount of votes. That could also cause serious issues for the next government. As a result of Germany's Nazi history, mainstream parties have a long-running pact known as the "firewall" which says they will not to work with the far-right. Even before the polls had closed leader, Alice Weidel echoed Donald Trump and released a video statement urging people to "observe" the ballots being counted and to "protect democracy". Many of the AfDs supporters have said not allowing the second most popular party into government is undemocratic, threatening to take to the streets. The US vice president JD Vance also sparked outrage when he spoke against the firewall at the recent Munich Security Conference and suggested the new Trump administration would be ready to work with the AfD. Conversely, in the run-up to the election, hundreds of thousands Germans have protested - demanding the firewall remains. In January, Merz caused controversy when a draft motion got through parliament with AfD support -and he's since vowed he will not go into government with them. If he sticks to that pledge, then he is likely to see right wing demonstrations as well becoming a target of prominent AfD backers including Elon Musk. The AfD's result also cannot be ignored. While some of the vote may be a protest, the party has expanded its traditional base in the east to pick up support in the west. Dissatisfaction over migration, the economy, rocketing prices and the war in Ukraine have all helped to grow its ranks as people feel ignored by mainstream parties. Merz has already tried to win back some of its voters by proposing tough migration reforms, including permanent checks on the borders and potentially turning away some asylum seekers when they try to enter. If he fails to deliver on these promises, then the AfD will continue to make gains. Other urgent "to dos" for the next government include sorting out Germany's economy following two years of recession and restoring its position at the centre of the EU. Ministers must also face up to the fact their traditional allies are no longer guaranteed. The Trump administration appears to be ripping up the rule book when it comes to being a protector of Europe and its ongoing support for Ukraine is in question. If America moves back, as Europe biggest power and Ukraine's biggest European backer, Germany will have to step up. Again, that's going to be a big challenge as its military needs to be transformed. The final results are not even confirmed yet but whatever form it takes the next government knows it has four years to fix Germany, if it fails then populists are highly likely to ride to power in 2029.
