Pope Francis, 77 today, should use his popularity to bring down oppressive regimes

Francis has the power the change the world – at the age of 77

Pope Francis turns 77 today – and millions everywhere will wish him many, many happy returns. In less than a year he has restored many Catholics' faith in an institution they had felt had betrayed them. The new Pope's simple manner, warmth and humility have won the heart even of the Catholic Church's toughest critics: the media is falling over themselves to praise him.
Although it is traditional to receive gifts on your birthday, Pope Francis has shown that he's not one for tradition. So may I boldly suggest that he gives the world a gift that only he could give?
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Solidarity. The Catholic Church in Poland was instrumental in overthrowing Communism by supporting the trade union led by Lech Walesa in the Eighties. Solidarity, founded in the shipyard of Gdansk, at first united workers frustrated by poor pay and working conditions; soon, though, it proved the rallying force for all Polish citizens weary of their Communist overlords. Lech Walesa knew throughout his struggle that he could rely on the Polish Pope, John Paul II, who twisted the arms of world leaders to assist Poland's freedom fighters. When Solidarity took on the Communist regime of General Jaruzelski and won, Poland's success infected its neighbours: one by one countries that had been part of the Soviet empire gained freedom.
The Soviet Union is no more and Communism is discredited. But the authoritarian crony capitalism of Vladimir Putin in Russia and Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine threatens the countries of the former Soviet Union. In the Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of anti-government protestors are filling the streets of Kiev: they want to join the EU, not get closer to Russia, as Yanukovich threatens. Students at the Ukrainian Catholic University on 11 December wrote an open letter of appeal to the outside world:

In spite of emphatic declarations of their peaceful intentions and desires to hear the voice of the people and participate in dialogue, the Ukrainian authorities started an active offensive not merely against opposition forces and journalists reporting on the events, but against the nation’s students – the initiators of this broad protest movement.
Among the methods of pressure and bullying that our university has encountered in recent days are phone calls and visits from representatives of the police, talks with our deans and vice rectors, attempts to inspect our students’ attendance records, searches for particular student activists, summons to the attorney’s office, and opening of criminal cases against students and professors.

Pope Francis can use his popularity – with Catholics but also (up to a point, anyway) with the Orthodox – to shore up protests against regimes like the Ukraine's. He may even be able to inspire new Solidarity movements across the region. He can play John Paul II 's decisive role in a different geopolitical setting.
Like the Polish pope, Francis has experienced first-hand life under a military dictatorship; he never supported it, but he was forced to make compromises and now wishes he had done more to bring freedom to Argentina. He can see through Putin, who has been trying to woo him. He passionately dislikes corrupt strongmen, and there are plenty in in Russia's orbit: not only Yanukovych but Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus too. Under Francis, a Jesuit who relishes diplomatic challenges,  the Catholic Church may once again become a force for political change