"Those who risk their lives at sea do not invade, they look for welcome." With these words, Pope Francis admonished Europe for failing to treat migrants with dignity. Speaking during his recent visit to the melting-pot French Mediterranean city of Marseille, the pontiff lamented what he called a "fanaticism of indifference" at a time when Europe has been seeing a sharp increase in migrant arrivals. Some 8,500 people landed on Italy's southern island of Lampedusa over just three days in September.
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The head of the Catholic Church urged Europeans to cooperate more, and provide more legal routes to entry for migrants. He also called for better integration. An EU migration and asylum pact, three years in the making, aims to address these challenges. But across Europe, populist calls to crack down on illegal migrants are drowning out calls to welcome them. So is the pope's message destined to fall on deaf ears? We discuss the issue with two MEPs.
This debate was recorded on September 26, 2023.
Produced by Perrine Desplats, Sophie Samaille and Isabelle Romero
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