A New Pope at a Pivotal Moment: Civil Society’s Hopes for Leo XIV By Andrew Firmin Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.

https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/05/new-pope-pivotal-moment-civil-societys-hopes-leo-xiv/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-pope-pivotal-moment-civil-societys-hopes-leo-xiv LONDON, May 22 2025 (IPS) - The new pope, the latest in a line dating back almost 2,000 years, was quickly subjected to a very modern phenomenon: no sooner had Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address than people started trawling his social media history for clues about his views. In the context of an ongoing culture war, the fact that far-right grievance entrepreneurs were quick to decry the new pope as ‘woke’ seemed reason enough for progressives to welcome him. But for civil society and the global human rights community, it’s how Leo acts that matters. Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.