In a step that may constitute a precedent in the history of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo has registered his name to participate in the American midterm elections, becoming, if he casts his vote, the first pope in office to participate in civil elections, according to the Telegraph newspaper.
The Pope, who is from the American city of Chicago, requested a mail-in ballot to participate in the elections scheduled for Tuesday.
Pope Leo, 71 years old, who was born Robert Francis Prevost, has not yet cast his vote, but his actual participation in the vote will set a precedent in the history of the Catholic Church, as no pope has ever participated in civil elections during his tenure.
“Robert Francis Prevost’s name is on the list of people who have requested a mail-in ballot for the upcoming election,” Kim Fladhammer, head of the Will County Clerk’s Office, told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The pope was registered at his brother's address in New Lenox, a suburb southwest of Chicago, and submitted his application for a mail-in ballot on October 3.
Fladhammer explained that Pope Leo has not yet cast his vote, noting that the period available for him to vote before the election date is approaching its end.
The first American pope elected to the position
A spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections explained that American citizens residing outside the United States are entitled to vote in the American elections by mail, under the “American Citizens Abroad Voting Act.”
Pope Leo had entered history as the first American to assume the position of pope, following his election in May 2025.
He previously participated in the primaries of the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as in the 2024 US presidential elections.
In the upcoming elections, the Pope will be able to vote to choose a successor to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, who announced his retirement.
The midterm elections are widely considered a referendum on President Donald Trump's performance during his second term in the White House.
The relationship between Pope Leo and the US President has witnessed several public disagreements since the Pope took office in May 2025, especially over the war in Iran and immigration enforcement policies.
In March, the Pope condemned the bombing launched by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, describing it as a “heinous act.”
In a lengthy post on his platform, “Truth Social,” Trump described the Pope as “weak” and “very bad,” saying: “Pope Leo is weak on crime, and his foreign policy is very bad.”
Trump claimed in his post that Pope Leo was only elected to lead the Catholic Church “because he was an American, and because they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
Witnesses from Reuters and Belgian media said that police used tear gas and pepper spray during clashes in Brussels on Saturday with anti-government demonstrators who demanded better conditions in the educational system.
The clashes came after hundreds of protesters, most of whom were young, gathered to demand increased funding for education, in a continuation of the demonstrations that this country has witnessed over the past few months.
The protesters accused the police of resorting to excessive violence, although these clashes were much less severe and widespread than those witnessed in Belgium last week, or those that occurred on a much larger scale in neighboring France.
Reuters witnesses saw protesters in Brussels running while police chased them, and one of the protesters was also beaten and kicked by some individuals.
Protesters targeted rental bicycles and motorcycles, trying to set them on fire after throwing banners and other objects at them from the streets.
Belgian media reported that in a separate incident, police used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters.
Brussels police said this evening in a statement that no serious incidents had occurred, noting that they had taken measures "to ensure the maintenance of public order and the safety of everyone."
The statement added that the police temporarily detained five people on charges of disturbing public order, in addition to four others on charges of possessing prohibited weapons and inciting riots.
