(ZENIT News / Rome, 01.14.2024).- Despite maintaining a predominantly positive perception in the United States, Pope Francis faces some challenges in terms of approval, according to the latest Gallup pollconducted from December 1 to December 20, 2023.
The favorable rating of Pope Francis among Americans overall is 58%, a figure that, though solid, is among the lowest since he assumed office in 2013. Surprisingly, his disapproval rating has reached a new high of 30%.
Among U.S. Catholics, the Pontiff enjoys even higher esteem, with a 77% favorable rating. However, this number is also below the average for this group, and his disapproval rate has reached a new high of 17%.
The poll, conducted shortly after the release of Fiducia Supplicans, on pastoral blessings for irregular couples, does not seem to significantly reflect this event in current opinions.
Since his election in 2013 as the first pope from the Americas, Francis’s initial popularity was high, peaking in 2014 with 76% of Americans and 89% of U.S. Catholics. However, over the years, he has experienced fluctuations, reaching his lowest approval rating in September 2018.
Perceptions of Francis differ notably between two categories of groups: self-described conservatives and liberals in the United States. While liberals applaud his stances on the environment, unchecked capitalism, and aiding the less fortunate, conservatives view him with less favorability, especially on issues like abortion (despite the Pope having expressed opposition to the killing of babies in the womb on numerous occasions).
In November 2023, Francis removed a bishop from Texas, intensifying the rift with traditionally-minded Catholics. Although Pope Francis’s popularity surpasses that of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, conservatives show a weaker perception of him compared to liberals and moderates.
In summary, after almost eleven years in his papacy, Pope Francis maintains a solid overall approval in the United States, though he faces significant challenges, especially among conservatives.
