[Breitbart] Every nation is free to vote for the political leaders it wants, said Pope Francis Saturday, while Europe itself is in danger of "falling apart.""Every country is free to make the choices it believes are right for itself. I cannot judge if it is making this choice for this reason or another, because I do not know its internal politics," Francis said, in reference to the upcoming French presidential elections.
We must "respect people’s opinions, honest opinions of a political discussion," he said.
During the return flight from Egypt to Rome on Saturday, the Pope granted a press conference to the journalists aboard the papal flight, during which he was asked about the populist movements expanding in Europe.
Virginie Riva of the French group, "Radio Europe 1," made direct reference to the French presidential elections, claiming that French Catholics "are being forced to vote for either a populist or an extremist, and they are divided and confused." Late last month, a first round of elections reduced the list of presidential candidates to Marine Le Pen of the Front National party and Emmanuel Macron of the "En Marche!" party. The final, run-off vote will take place on May 7.
Francis confessed that "I do not understand French internal politics," but repeated the principle that every country is free to make the choices it believes are right for itself.