If he is a real blinkered dyed-in-the-wool hardliner, who goes right back to basics, trumpets infallibility, hatred of gays and of contraception in any form and of abortion even for rape, in favour of "women-back-to-the-kitchen" - then he might just create a backlash among educated, thinking catholics - the ones who may be wondering about staying or leaving. Then, with any luck, they'll leave.
Then the Church of Rome will probably be only the Church of the Third World.
It seems Benedict created plenty of hardline cardinals, so maybe that is exactly what they will get.
What does it say in the bible about sowing the wind and reaping the whilrwind ?