Washington: Pope Francis criticised former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris over their stance of immigration and abortion respectively, and termed the upcoming US elections as a choice between the "lesser of two evils," CNN reported. He described Trump's stance on immigration and Harris' support for abortion, rights as contrary to the value of life." During a press conference aboard the papal plane, Francis remarked, "One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don't know." He urged voters to reflect deeply upon their decision. Notably, Francis has been more outspoken on political matters compared to his predecessors, seeking to make the Catholic Church more inclusive. He has consistently upheld the Church's position against abortion, viewing it as the intentional ending of human life. He has also emphasised that this issue should be considered alongside other life-related matters, such as immigration. "To send migrants away, to leave them wherever you want, to leave them ... it's something terrible, there is evil there. To send away a child from the womb of the mother is an assassination, because there is life. We must speak about these things clearly," he said. Previously, Francis presented progressive stances on various political issues, such as permitting priests to forgive abortions, supporting blessings for same-sex couples, and highlighting climate change concerns, as per the report by CNN. He has also contested the view held by some Catholic bishops in the US who prioritise abortion as the foremost issue, arguing that migrant welfare is equally significant for the protection of life. In 2016, Francis criticised Trump's proposal to build a border wall, labelling it "not Christian." In 2021, when US bishops debated whether to deny communion to public figures supporting abortion rights, including President Joe Biden, Francis advocated for a "pastoral" rather than a political approach to such decisions. He has maintained that he has never refused communion to anyone. Francis has also expressed disapproval of couples opting for pets over children, echoing sentiments shared by Trump's running mate, Sen JD Vance. Vance, a converted Catholic, has disparaged childless women as "childless cat ladies" and criticised the "leadership class" without children as "more sociopathic," CNN reported. Opinions vary widely among Christian Catholics. Pew Research shows that 52 per cent of registered Catholic voters identify with or lean towards the Republican Party, while 44 per cent lean Democrat. In the 2020 election, Catholic voters were nearly evenly split, with 50 per cent supporting Biden and 49 per cent backing Trump. Nevertheless, a majority, 61 per cent, of Catholics believe abortion should be legal in most or all circumstances.
