What's happened
Pope Francis challenges European leaders to open ports to migrants and calls for legal pathways to citizenship
Why it matters
The Pope's plea for greater charity towards migrants and his criticism of the 'fanaticism of indifference' and 'paralysis of fear' in Europe's approach to migration highlights the ongoing debate and tensions surrounding the issue. The differing views between Pope Francis and President Macron reflect the broader divisions among European leaders on how to address the influx of migrants and share the responsibility.
What the papers say
Pope Francis urges Europe to show greater charity towards migrants, calling for legal pathways to citizenship, while warning against the 'fanaticism of indifference' and 'paralysis of fear'. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasizes the need for a rigorous approach to migration.
How we got here
The visit of Pope Francis to Marseille comes at a time of heated debate in Europe over how to share responsibility for migrants arriving by sea. The recent mass arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa have further fueled the migration debate and strained relations among EU member states.
More on these topics
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Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory
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Marseille is the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in France. It is located on the Mediterranean coast near the mouth of the Rhône.
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Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron is a French politician who has been President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra since 14 May 2017.
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France, officially the French Republic, is a country consisting of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.