What's happened
The pope has voted by mail in the US midterm elections in Chicago, confirming he is exercising his citizenship and urging civic participation. He has clashed with President Trump over immigration and the Iran crisis, and his vote comes as campaigning intensifies ahead of the November 3 ballot.
What's behind the headline?
How we got here
The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago and holding US and Peruvian citizenship, has exercised his right to vote as a US citizen. He has previously clashed with Donald Trump over immigration policies and the US-Israeli war on Iran. He recently underwent lung cancer surgery and is resuming duties as midterm campaigning proceeds.
Our analysis
Go deeper
- How will the pope's vote influence perceptions of the US midterms?
- Will Vatican-leaning voters see this as a call for peace or a rebuke of hardline policies?
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