FT: Pope Leo XIV will speak out against the rise of far-right forces in Europe

During a four-day visit to France, Pope Leo XIV will pay unprecedented attention to the rise of far-right forces in Europe. This is reported by Politico and the Financial Times (FT). An important statement on this matter, according to the FT, the Pope will make during a visit to the city of Metz - the birthplace of one of the founders of the EU and the Christian democratic movement in post-war Europe, Robert Schuman. The head of the Catholic Church is expected to speak out in support of European integration and against Eurosceptics from among the far-right parties in the region.

As the newspaper notes, popes usually avoid speaking on political topics. Leo XIV, however, "appears to view the fight against the far right as existential." According to Massimo Fragioli, a professor of theology at the American University of Villanova and author of the book on Leo XIV, the current pope is committed to the ideals of European unity, and a visit to France is part of his “European strategy.”.

On September 25, in a speech with French President Emmanuel Macron, Leo XIV already spoke about the 2027 presidential election. The pope did not explicitly name any political parties or forces. However, as Politico writes, he was “insinuating populists in disguise,” and his statements in defense of diversity and religious freedom came at a time when Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally is campaigning against immigration. Leo XIV, in particular, said that a "genuinely free society" prevents authoritarian tendencies, and in modern France people of different cultural and religious backgrounds are called to live together.

Jana Christmas