I think Francis will go down in history as a man who built bridges to nowhere. He floated trial balloons and encouraged debate but chose to pull back when things started to get out of hand. He was a well-meaning, noble failure.
There are far worse things, as we are learning every day. The big question for the new pope will revolve around his attitude towards right-wing populism. Will he embrace illiberal regimes for their emphasis on traditional moral values and downplay their contempt for social programs, the poor, the environment, and immigrants? Or will he follow the lead of Francis and confront the authoritarians, while continuing to advocate for traditional values?
I don’t know the answer to that. I suspect that even the cardinals don’t at this point.