Disregard Reports: Non-Austrian Attendee at the Conclave
Breaking News: No Austrian Cardinal in the Upcoming Pope Election Since '63
Get ready for a shift, folks! It's been a hot minute since an Austrian cardinal hasn't cast a vote in a papal election, last time being way back in 1963. Cardinal Franz Koenig, who participated in the electoral process of Paul VI, is the last one to do so.
Fast forward to today, and Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn is no longer eligible to vote due to his 80th birthday. Though he participated in the papal elections of Benedict XVI and Francis, he now can only partake in the pre-conclave discussions but not the actual voting.
Historically, Austrian cardinals have been instrumental in electing popes, with the 1978 and 2005 elections seeing some Austrian favorites, even 'Pope-makers'. Cardinal Franz Koenig was a driving force behind Karol Wojtyla's election as John Paul II in 1978, while Cardinal Schoenborn was highly regarded during the election of Benedict XVI in 2005.
Interestingly, to find another election without Austrian participation, one has to look as far back as 1846. At the time, Austrian Archbishop Friedrich zu Schwarzenberg was absent, and the native Klagenfurtian arrived too late to exercise the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I's veto against the election of the Bishop of Imola as Pope Pius IX.
Though Austrian cardinals have had significant influence in the past, a specific record of a papal election happening without any Austrian cardinal participating isn't well-documented. However, with the abolition of the jus exclusivae (the Papal election veto right) by Pope Pius X in 1904, the formal influence of monarchs, including Austria, in papal elections was eliminated.
Remember, the Roman Catholic Church is full of twists and turns, so keep your eyes peeled for any updates on the upcoming papal election!
Despite the influence of Austrian cardinals in papal elections, the upcoming election will mark the second time since 1963 that an Austrian cardinal will not participate in the voting process, following Cardinal Franz Koenig's participation in the election of Paul VI. The political landscape of the general-news sphere is expected to shift significantly due to this absence, given the historical impact of Austrian cardinals on these elections.
