Following the death of Pope Francis, Catholics worldwide are awaiting the election of a new pope, a figure who will continue to wield immense symbolic and moral influence, though limited direct political power. Pope Francis was known for blending progressive and conservative views, impacting discourse on issues like climate change, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion.

Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science, tells Newsweek that it is rare for a pope to speak out about a particular political issue, but that their teachings may provide Catholics with a context in which to think about global issues.

“We see that with Pope Francis when he talked about the environment and taking care of the planet. That's had a pretty profound influence, although he didn't tell people who to vote for or particular agenda items that nations ought to adopt,” she says. “But he talked about care for the planet, care for creation. So that's a political influence, but it's not somebody telling you who to vote for. I think that's an important distinction.”