skilled diplomat, the cardinal has held the number two position in the Vatican since 2013 and has a deep knowledge of the global church. Parolin, who hails from the north of Italy, has worked in Latin America as papal representative in Venezuela and he attended the signing of Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement. He has been the architect of the Vatican’s attempts to build relations with Vietnam and the move to re-establish diplomatic ties with China which saw the Holy See sign a deal with Beijing on bishop appointments. His election could lead to clashes with the Trump administration as he has rebuked the US president’s Gaza plan. While he was supportive of Francis' agenda, Parolin is a more cautious, conservative figure, although his skills at mediation and diplomacy may appeal to voters.