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Bookmarking for a response later- TLDR is continuity with JPII, encouraging moves for the conservatives, but very mild disappointments for the liberals.
Leo has appointed mostly the bishops that an impartial observer would have expected a replacement level pope to appoint, in a way which points to the return of the influence of the nuncios over pope Francis' progressive cardinal friends. All eyes are on Chicago and New York- both Archdioceses which are highly political appointments and have bishops who've reached retirement age. One, Cardinal Dolan, is generally considered 'conservative' and the other, Cardinal Cupich, is extremely progressive. These, and the prefects of causes of the saints and of the causes of bishops(both cabinet level officials in the Vatican), will likely be the first major political appointments made by the new pope.
In the Vatican Curia(central administration), pope Leo has confirmed the figures in place under pope Francis. This is customary for new popes. He appointed a nun as secretary(#2) of the dicastery for religious life, but as pope Francis had left a nun as prefect to appoint a bishop as her number two would be a scandal on its own. There are no indications as to who will be appointed to fill his old seat as prefect of the dicastery for the causes of bishops, nor who will be appointed to replace the extremely aged Cardinal Semeraro as prefect of the dicastery for the causes of the saints. He has, however, made a schlew of appointments to the boards of dicasteries(cabinet-level departments) in the Vatican, which indicate a desire for a more conservative direction. Specifically worth highlighting are Cardinal Marengo, the youngest cardinal, who was appointed to a position requiring frequent travel to Rome from his apostolic assignment in Ulanbaatar(yes, Mongolia has a cardinal), allowing him to build an influence network before the next conclave(which, given the ages of cardinals and likely lifespan of the pope, would put him as a senior figure); and Archbishop Fischer of Sidney, who was considered sidelined under pope Francis for his conservative views and, appointed to the board overseeing interreligious dialogue, will be able to grow in influence ahead of his likely appointment as a cardinal. Also worth noting is the high percentage of African bishops appointed; these tend to caucus with the furthest-right faction of western bishops and if the trend continues, this forseeably gives traditionalists more power and influence.
His public facing actions are not particularly noteworthy; he is essentially emulating JPII.
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