Istanbul, July 7 (HNA) – Pope Francis decried the state of democracy and warned against “populists” during a short visit to Trieste in Italy’s northeast on Sunday ahead of a 12-day trip to Asia — the longest of his papacy.
The 87-year-old pope was in the northeastern city of Trieste for a flying visit—his fourth trip within Italy in just over two months—as he prepares for a 12-day journey across Asia in September, the longest of his papacy.
“Democracy is not in good health in the world today,” Francis said during a speech at the city’s convention centre to close a national Catholic event.
Without naming any countries, the pope warned against “ideological temptations and populists” on the day that France holds the second round of a snap parliamentary vote that looks set to see the far-right National Rally (RN) party take the largest share of the vote.
“Ideologies are seductive. Some people compare them to the Pied Piper of Hamelin: they seduce but lead you to deny yourself,” he said about the German fairytale.
Speaking at an annual Roman Catholic convention on social affairs, the pope said many people felt excluded from democracy, with the poor and the weak left to fend for themselves.
The pope expressed his deep concern: “It is evident that democracy is not in good health in today’s world.” A healthy democracy should avoid “the dross of ideology” and move away from partisanship to embrace meaningful dialogue instead, he said.
“Let us not be deceived by easy solutions. Let us instead be passionate about the common good,” he said, highlighting the damage caused by political “corruption and illegality”. This call for passion underscores the importance of each individual’s societal role.
He said it was essential to teach children the importance of democratic values, warning that “indifference is a cancer of democracy”.
“I am concerned about the small number of people who went to vote. Why is it happening?” he asked.
The half-day visit to Trieste followed similar trips to Venice and Verona in April and May and an address to Group of Seven leaders in southern Italy in June—outings that tested his stamina after repeated ailments over the past year that have sometimes forced him to curtail his workload.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; the European Union (EU) is a “non-enumerated member.”
As is now normal, the pontiff moved mainly by wheelchair and appeared in good form. In September, he is due to fly over 32,000 km (19,900 miles) on his journey around Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, and Singapore.
