In first papal speech to Spanish parliament, pope demands respect for migrants
The pope also urged legal migration pathways, stronger action against human smuggling and ethical limits on artificial intelligence and weapons.
- On Monday, Pope Leo XIV addressed Spain's Parliament, calling for renewed respect for international law and migrants' rights during a historic visit to Las Cortes Generales. The rare papal address signaled a notable shift in the Catholic Church's acceptance within the country's secular political sphere.
- Leo cited the 16th-century School of Salamanca, which established early concepts of human rights, while acknowledging the Church's past role as a pillar of Gen. Francisco Franco's dictatorship. This appearance signals transformation from that complex history.
- Urging "moral renewal" in public life, the Pope warned against a "throwaway culture" and called for "rigorous ethical oversight" of automated weapons systems created by artificial intelligence. He emphasized protecting life from conception through natural end.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, an atheist, has praised Leo as a "moral compass," creating an unlikely political alliance. This convergence persists despite Sánchez's government facing corruption scandals and navigating three years without a budget.
- Receiving more than seven minutes of applause, the Holy Father challenged Spain to remain a land of "encounter, culture, solidarity, and hope." He concluded by praying for peace and prosperity amid global instability and domestic division.
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159 Articles
Pope Leon XIV said Monday in front of the Spanish Parliament that the escalation of conflicts, the deepening of polarization and the widespread non-compliance with human rights have pushed the world into a deep crisis, which is one of the largest political discourses of his so far. Spanish Parliamentarians have ovated the first American pope standing, after he appealed to respect for the rights of immigrants and international law in a historic s…
The Pontiff urged respect for migrants' rights and international law
Pope Leo is concerned about the new arms buildup in Europe and warns the parliament in Madrid against a policy that forgets the people and only seeks to control migrant flows. Source link: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/spanien-reise-papst-kritisiert-aufruestung-und-migrationspolitik-europas-accg-200908692.html Author: Hans-Christian Rößler, Madrid Publish date: 2026-06-08 16:41:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the lin…
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