Geopolitical prophecies compared: Francis’s confederal Europe and Leo XIV's federalist Europe

Abstract

In an era when Popes hold press conferences and answer journalists' questions on all current geopolitical issues, two statements about Europe, made almost 10 years apart by two non-European popes, point in opposite directions for the continent's future. Both statements were made in the aftermath of historic events: the first by Pope Francis on June 26, 2016, three days after the Brexit referendum. The second by Pope Leo, on December 9, 2025, following the publication of the U.S. National Security Strategy. [...]