Macron and Pope call on Europe to revive founding courage and reject nationalism
President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe in Metz to reclaim the bravery of its founders and resist a turn toward nationalism, echoing a parallel appeal from Pope Léon XIV.
At a conference in Metz, President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe to rediscover the courage of its founding fathers and to resist the pull of nationalist backsliding. He framed Europe as a millennial heart that must protect, unite, and act for peace and prosperity. Pope Léon XIV, present at the event, urged European officials to show bravery in negotiations and to be willing to give up certain positions for the greater good of peace, citing the continuing conflict in Ukraine.
The pontiff warned that international relations are becoming increasingly brutal, with truth and honesty being undermined. Both leaders promoted respect for one another, international law, and multilateralism as antidotes to domination and division.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
- Coverage peaked at 8 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
The statements signal high-level political and moral pressure on European leaders to counter rising nationalism amid the Ukraine war.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage frames the pope’s speech as a moral appeal to Europe’s Christian heritage and dialogue to curb domination, center coverage emphasizes political leaders urging Europe to resist a “return of nationalisms” and to uphold unity and democratic values, while right-leaning coverage highlights the pope’s call for compromise, criticises European defence spending and stresses migrant integration and inter-faith peace.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage frames the pope’s address as a moral appeal to Europe’s Christian roots and dialogue to counter the desire for domination and wars.
CENTER
Center coverage frames the story around political leaders urging Europe to resist a return of nationalisms, sacrifice positions for peace, and defend a united democratic Europe.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage frames the pope’s message as a call for compromise and migrant integration, while also critiquing European rearmament and emphasizing inter-faith dialogue.
The left emphasises
- "draw from its Christian roots"
- "traditions of dialogue"
- "blunt the \"desire for domination\" driving today's wars"
- "peaceful integration"
The right emphasises
- "relinquishing some demands"
- "condemned the surge in European defence spending, describing rearmament as an illusion"
- "legal, safe routes and migrants to be treated as family"
- "rejects violence in the name of religions"
How this story developed
- Sep 15 Pope Leon XIV's French tour set for mostly sunny weather across three cities
- Sep 16 Seven victims of sexual abuse by clergy will meet the Pope in Lourdes, reaffirming their demands and refusing further media comments before the audience.
- Sep 25 Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris and began his four‑day visit with a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.
- Sep 25 The Pope arrived at the Stade de France where a large gathering of young people greeted him, chanting and cheering as his papamobile circulated the field.
- Sep 26 Pope Leo XIV held an open‑air mass at Place de la Concorde attended by several French political figures, while President Emmanuel Macron was not present.
- Sep 26 A vespers service at Notre‑Dame attended by thousands of clergy was held as part of the papal itinerary.
- Sep 26 Hundreds of thousands gathered for the Mass, with numerous French political figures in attendance.
- Sep 27 The INIRR agency is closing to new submissions as a group of survivors prepares for a papal audience.
- Sep 27 Security deployment of 15,000 police and 17,000 volunteers and a €27 million budget were detailed for the mass.
- Sep 27 Pope Leo XIV urged French bishops to stay vigilant against clerical sexual abuse during a private audience in Lourdes.
In this story
Related stories
29 in this thread