Ben Munster

RT @deliavatican: “What is happening in the Gaza Strip pains me deeply. May there be an immediate ceasefire! May humanitarian aid be brough…

RT @POLITICOEurope: Clerics were "reluctant" to elect a pope from the U.S., one cardinal told POLITICO. But in the end, they settled on not…

RT @meganmesserly: In the conclave, progressive cardinals believed the new Pope Leo could be a counterweight to President Trump. It wasn't…

Leo XIV is said to have secured the papacy after gaining votes from cardinals in the global south, a major new Catholic force. I delved into that crucial dynamic as it emerged during the pre conclave sessions here: https://t.co/Z4rUAWPVYl

My report on some of the pre-conclave lobbying going on, and one of the main themes that has emerged (and which is behind much of the fierce debate around Parolin): the waning influence of the Roman Curia on global church matters https://t.co/Z4rUAWPVYl

RT @POLITICOEurope: Italy’s government is privately unsure that its plan to reach NATO’s defense spending target of 2 percent of GDP will p…

For a look at the real legacy of Francis’s supposedly progressive agenda, and the difficulty he had in reconciling it with the powerful strain of global south-style conservatism that blossomed under his papacy, take a look at my piece from last year: https://t.co/2ql7KOiMQS

My retrospective on Pope Francis, with my Rome colleague Hannah Roberts. Divisive, yes, but also one of the rare leaders to speak out for the world’s most vulnerable. He called his counterparts in Gaza every day https://t.co/yvuROSOsSV

RT @MuntherIsaac: Palestinian, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today. Pope Francis was beloved in Palesti…

Not remotely a fair characterisation of what happened, Vance isn’t a head of state so it’s more fitting to meet Parolin. It was a meeting of two right-hand men, essentially. And in any case, Vance briefly met Francis today

Jeet Heer @HeerJeet

We can't rule out that God kept Francis alive so he could do this.

Some previously unreported info here about Rome’s anxieties - specifically its pessimism that Europe can ever really build up reliable defenses without U.S./NATO, its naïveté over future of U.S. guarantees. and its leeriness at French/German opportunism https://t.co/V6ezpishO8

Nicholas Vinocur ✍️ @NicholasVinocur

Rome thinks it has a "more realistic" view of Europe's capacity to exist without American military support. 5/5 Must-read by @Ben_Munster @elenagiordano96 @GioFaggionato

A look at some of the deeper reasons EU rearmament is unnerving Rome https://t.co/jXSkIM58DM with @GioFaggionato and @elenagiordano96

RT @gioleali: 🍷Under the pressure of the wine and spirits industry, Italy, France and Ireland urge the 🇪🇺 to be prudent and spare the alcoh…