Pope Leo XIV personally lobbied Macron over French euthanasia bill, sources say | Advaticanum

A notable feature of the June Consistory was Pope Leo XIV’s call for frankness in addressing the pressing issues facing the Church. According to sources close to AdVaticanum, this approach has recently been put into practice through the Pope’s personal engagement with the highest levels of the French government on the question of euthanasia. The intervention has taken place through quiet but consistent channels. While sources could not confirm exactly when it began, Pope Leo XIV is said to have initiated a series of direct communications with Emmanuel Macron. According to sources within both the diplomatic sphere and the Vatican, His Holiness has been making regular 15-minute phone calls to the French President focused solely on the euthanasia and assisted suicide bill. These conversations have centred on ways to slow the bill’s progress and prevent France from following paths seen in other nations, such as Canada, where the law is now responsible for more than 5 per cent of deaths. It …