About: Pope Francis
Pope and Macron hold ‘intense’ meeting at Vatican
French President Emmanuel Macron held an "intense" meeting with Pope Francis during his first official visit to the Vatican yesterday (26 June), discussing global issues including the fate of migrants coming to Europe.
Erdogan in Rome: Let Turkey be full EU member
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has rejected proposals of a partnership with the EU, insisting full membership to the bloc is the only option, in an interview published Sunday (4 February).
Erdogan and Macron take lead in urging US to turn back on Jerusalem decision
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and France's Emmanuel Macron will work together to try to persuade the United States to reconsider its decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a Turkish presidential source said on Saturday (9 December).
Polish MP accuses Juncker of ‘alcohol dependency’
Krystyna Pawlowicz, a Polish MP from the ruling Eurosceptic PiS party, has written a letter to the Jean-Claude Juncker, accusing him of “alcohol dependency”. She also called “distasteful” the fact that Juncker apparently took a nap in the Vatican over the celebration of the EU’s 60’th anniversary.
Rome: A common declaration but no miracle cure
Finding common ground for the EU’s declaration on the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome is proving difficult. The bloc’s objective is to “confirm that the EU is the right answer” but one diplomat said there was no “miracle cure” for the Union’s woes. EURACTIV France reports.
Pope Francis to share wisdom with EU leaders ahead of Rome summit
EU heads of state and government are planning to meet with Pope Francis in Rome on 24 March, ahead of the summit expected to provide a vision for the future of the EU after Brexit, diplomats told EURACTIV.com.
Merkel shuns CSU conference for first time
Angela Merkel’s junior coalition partner, the CSU, has closed ranks with Austria at its party conference, particularly when it comes to refugee policy, as integration concerns increase. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Kosovo still dreams of EU and NATO membership
Kosovo's foreign affairs minister has reaffirmed his country's ambitions to join both NATO and the European Union, in an interview with EURACTIV Spain.
Pope urges ‘stable peace’ on visit to Azerbaijan
Pope Francis yesterday (2 October) called for a "stable peace" as he visited mainly Muslim Azerbaijan, several months after pushing for an end to a festering territorial feud while in arch-foe Armenia.
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, former Italian president and premier, dies
Former Italian president, prime minister and central bank governor Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who played a key role in guiding the country into the European single currency, has died, the government said on Friday (16 September).
From Armenia, Pope Francis urges regional reconciliation
Pope Francis urged Armenia and Turkey on Saturday (25 June) to seek reconciliation over the Armenian genocide which took place one century ago, and Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
German resolution on Armenian genocide expected to sour Turkey relationsip
Turkey has long opposed the international recognition of the Armenian genocide and the German parliament's plans to finally grant it could spell trouble for Berlin's relations with Ankara. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Juncker on EU anniversary: We have too many part-time Europeans
The presidents of Europe's three main institutions yesterday (5 May) presented a bleak picture of the European Union, saying the 28-nation bloc lacked leadership and was descending into petty, nationalist politics.
Moisés Naím: ‘More Europe’ needed to strengthen EU
"Europe has been losing its clout and its voice has diminished,” Moisés Naím told EURACTIV Spain in an interview, as well as highlighting his desire for “more Europe” so that “the predominant voices are not those of autocracies and dictatorships like Russia or China”.
Pope will visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Pope Francis will visit Azerbaijan and Georgia in the autumn, the Vatican said on 9 April, one day after combatants in Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to cease fighting that has killed dozens in the past week.
Erdogan warns he will ditch refugee deal if EU breaks promises
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned the European Union on Thursday (7 April) that Ankara would not implement a key deal on reducing the flow of refugees if Brussels fails to fulfil its side of the bargain.
Pope set to visit refugees in Greece as deportations stall
Pope Francis will travel to the Greek island of Lesbos on the frontline of Europe's refugee crisis next week, Athens announced yesterday (5 April), as a controversial EU accord to send migrants back to Turkey stalled.
Obama in Cuba on historic visit
President Barack Obama arrived to small but cheering crowds on Sunday (20 March) at the start of a historic visit to Cuba that opened a new chapter in US engagement with the island's Communist government after decades of hostility between the former Cold War foes.
Pope says he angered Merkel with ‘grandmother Europe’ comment
Pope Francis has revealed that he received an angry phone call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel after he compared Europe to a "barren woman", in an interview published Monday (8 February).
Police operation exposes Kosovo jihadist links
Italian and Kosovo police have detained four Kosovo citizens allegedly linked to the Islamic State group (IS) for spreading Islamist propaganda and for making threats against Pope Francis and a former US ambassador.
Pope Francis in Africa: Leadership and inspiration in the face of climate change
Pope Francis has said of climate change that “decisive mitigation is a moral and religious imperative for humanity." He is in a powerful position to make that happen, argues Achim Steiner.
EU should lead in climate finance, but not by robbing the aid pot
Keeping global temperatures from rising by more than two degrees will cost a lot, but the world’s poorest countries should not have to suffer in order for the bill to be paid, writes Lies Craeynest.
Merkel reported to be among favourites for Nobel Peace Prize
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has emerged among the contenders to win this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Also under consideration are Pope Francis, a Russian newspaper and the parties involved in this year's Iran nuclear deal.