The Pope showed francesco He was dissatisfied with both US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and said that Americans would be forced to choose the lesser of two evils. What are the reasons for this position?
The 87-year-old pope was speaking to reporters on his return to Rome on Friday from a 12-day Asian tour when asked about the US election, describing Harris (current Vice President Joe Biden) and Trump (former President) as anti-life.
The pope cited Trump's anti-immigration policies and Harris's support for women's right to abortion as reasons for his stance, saying that not welcoming immigrants is a “grave” sin, while abortion is like “assassination.” “The person who gets rid of immigrants and the person who kills children. Both are against life.”
Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House in the November elections, had pledged during his election campaign to deport illegal immigrants.
Lesser of two evils
Pope Francis said American Catholics would have to “choose the lesser of two evils” when they cast their votes, adding, “Which is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that man? I don't know. Each person, in his or her conscience, must think and do this.”
According to Reuters, there are about 52 million American Catholics, and they are often considered crucial voters. In some swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the percentage of adult Catholics exceeds 20% of the population.
The pope, the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, is often cautious about interfering in national elections, Reuters adds. But he has been a vocal critic of abortion, which is forbidden by Catholic teachings, and has previously criticized Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric in the 2016 election, saying Trump's views were “not Christian.”