Report: Pope Leo XIV Personally Encouraged France's Emmanuel Macron to Oppose Euthanasia

Pope Leo XIV has reportedly engaged in direct conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron to discourage the approval of a euthanasia bill, according to a report published in Catholic media. The report, citing anonymous sources, claims that the pope has held repeated personal calls with Macron to address concerns over the proposed legislation, which seeks to expand the legal scope of euthanasia and assisted suicide in France. The euthanasia bill, currently under consideration in the National Assembly, faces a crucial final vote on Wednesday. Lawmakers are set to decide whether to approve the measure, which would permit doctors or nurses to assist in the death of patients under certain conditions or enable individuals to aid others in ending their lives. The bill has already passed the National Assembly three times and been rejected three times in the Senate, prompting a final decision in the lower house after multiple rounds of deliberation. According to the report, Pope Leo XIV has prioritized opposing the legalization of killing terminally ill or severely disabled individuals since his election in 2025. His efforts in France align with broader initiatives, including his previous outreach to U.S. Governor JB Pritzker regarding Illinois' medically assisted killing law. In December, Illinois passed such a law, which the pope expressed disappointment over, noting that he had personally urged the governor not to sign it. In recent months, the Vatican has emphasized the sanctity of life, with Pope Leo issuing a message in June urging French leaders to uphold the intrinsic dignity of every human person. He warned that society increasingly fails to recognize the value of human life, even in its final moments. This stance has found support among French clergy, notably Bishop Marc Aillet of Bayonne, Lescar, and Oloron, who recently declared that lawmakers supporting the euthanasia bill should be barred from receiving Holy Communion, as doing so would constitute a mortal sin and require repentance. Bishop Aillet’s remarks come amid growing public resistance to the legislation, with Church leaders actively campaigning against the bill. The bishop’s call for exclusion from the sacrament reflects a broader concern within the French Catholic community about maintaining ecclesial unity and adhering to traditional teachings on life and death. The proposed law in France is less extensive than Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) policy, which permits physician-assisted death under specific conditions. However, critics argue that both systems risk normalizing the termination of life, particularly for vulnerable populations. The report suggests that Pope Leo XIV has drawn comparisons between France’s potential legislative shift and Canada’s experience, using the latter as a cautionary example. While the final vote on the bill has not yet occurred at press time, the ongoing dialogue between the pope and Macron underscores the influence of religious institutions in shaping public policy. The outcome of the vote will determine whether France moves closer to legalizing euthanasia or continues to resist such measures, reflecting broader societal debates on ethics, autonomy, and the role of religion in governance.