A “step back” by the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, and the support of cardinals from the southern world along with those who speak English, would have been decisive for the American Robert Francis Prevost to achieve the two-thirds of the necessary votes to be elected Pope.
This is how it was described in their chronicles by the main Italian newspapers, with a long history of covering the conclaves and the Vatican.
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Il Messaggero reports that Parolin, who was seen as a favorite before the Conclave as the Secretary of State of the Vatican, decided to take a “step back, betrayed by the Italians” and had his block of votes converge on Prevost.
In the same line, Il Corriere della Sera points out that Parolin had a “lead” in the first scrutiny but that “in a few hours” the votes turned around, leaning towards the American.
While La Repubblica indicates that “transversal” votes and the “yes of moderate Bergoglians” have led to “Italians being defeated again”. By “Bergoglians” it is meant the younger cardinals, appointed and close to the late Pope Francis.
On the other hand, La Stampa states that, while “the Italian Church loses” being “divided into too many candidates”, Prevost wins “driven by Americans and cardinals from the Southern world”.
On the other hand, Il Giornale points out that Parolin lost the votes of Africa and Asia and highlights the activism of Cardinal Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, whom they refer to as the “true kingmaker”. Specifically, it is mentioned that the Secretary of State entered with a package of 40-50 votes and during the first vote it was already discovered that Prevost had garnered many hidden votes. In this sense, it is claimed that the “Bergoglians” appeared divided and failed to propose an alternative.
Dolan, although more conservative, would have attracted voters from North and South America for Prevost, especially English-speaking ones and specifically linked to the Commonwealth. He would have also played a key role in unifying the cardinals of the United States.