
The French president will not participate in any of the masses of the apostolic trip despite his presence alongside the sovereign pontiff in Paris and Metz
AI-generated summary
Pope Leo XIV is making an apostolic trip to France, welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron. This visit takes place in a context of diplomatic relations between France and the Holy See, while coinciding with internal political debates linked to the 2027 presidential election and environmental issues.
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Protocol, “convergences” and disagreements: how Emmanuel Macron made a place for himself in the Pope’s visit to France
STORY - The Head of State will welcome Léon XIV in Paris on Friday, and will speak alongside him at the Élysée then in Metz three days later. However, he will not participate in any of the three masses celebrated during the apostolic journey. Behind the scenes of preparations punctuated by a few misunderstandings.
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Mass of Leo XIV at La Concorde: from Sébastien Lecornu to Marine Le Pen, many political figures in the stands
Several political leaders from the center, the right and the National Rally attended the mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday at Place de la Concorde. The main figures on the left were absent, several having chosen to participate in the climate marches.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The visit of Pope Leo XIV will influence public debates on secularism and the role of religion in the French public space.
Possible · Within weeks

During the senatorial elections of September 27, the National Rally entered the Senate for the first time with at least 15 seats, while the Republicans lost around seven seats and La France insoumise entered the Senate thanks to Gabriel Amard in Rhône and Marc Péré in Haute-Garonne.

Pope Leo

Executives from La France Insoumise and the Socialist Party denounce the hypocrisy of Emmanuel Macron concerning his statements on the West Bank, after France allegedly authorized Benyamin Netanyahu to fly over its airspace, according to franceinfo. Furthermore, many political figures attended the mass of Pope Leo XIV at Place de la Concorde, while left-wing figures were absent, having preferred to participate in climate marches.

During the senatorial elections of September 27, 2023, 178 of the 348 seats in the Senate were renewed. The right and center right retain their majority thanks to the groups Les Républicains and Union centrist. The National Rally constitutes a group in the Senate for the first time with 11 new elected officials, while La France insoumise enters the Senate. The Socialist Party remains stable and the Ecologists lose a few seats.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his resignation on Sunday to run in October's early legislative elections, initially scheduled for December 2027 but brought forward after nearly two years of student protests triggered by the collapse of a marquee in Novi Sad in November 2024, which left 16 dead and was attributed to corruption. Minutes before his resignation, he pardoned 49 people, including 23 linked to the protests, and Ana Brnabic now serves as interim president.

Eight months before his departure from the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron wanted to show Thursday evening during an interview on TF1 and France 2 that he remains in charge on domestic issues and in the face of international tumults, in particular the Russian threat and fuel prices, while looking ahead to the presidential election of 2027.