Among the 133 cardinals voting who will become the new pope, the leader of the world's Roman Catholics, there are also two Belgians: Jozef De Kesel and Dominique Mathieu. The two were both recently appointed cardinal by Pope Francis and now get to help decide on his successor.
Jozef De Kesel (77) was archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels from 2015 to 2023, the highest ecclesiastical position in Belgium. In 2016, De Kesel was appointed cardinal, which also gave him a voice within the global Roman Catholic Church. Msgr De Kesel has the profile of a progressive archbishop, open to dialogue. He believes that the church needs to adapt to the changing Zeitgeist, and that this should include room for women and members of the lgbtq community.
Dominique Mathieu (61) is a notable figure within the Roman Catholic Church. In 2021, Pope Francis appointed him as the archbishop of Tehran-Isafhan, the only Catholic diocese in the predominantly Muslim country that Iran is. The appointment came as a surprise: Msgr Mathieu is a west European with a leadership role in a fragile eastern church community, in a region marked by war and religious persecution. Dominique Mathieu sees himself as a bridge builder between cultures and religions. He was appointed cardinal in 2024.