Post by Jaga on Sept 11, 2021 5:27:42 GMT -7
www.nytimes.com/2021/09/11/world/europe/pope-francis-orban-hungary.html
Meeting Hungary’s Strongman, Pope Treads a Fine Line With an Embattled Leader
Pope Francis’ meeting with Viktor Orban could help, or hurt, the prime minister’s efforts to curry favor with voters ahead of coming elections in Hungary, which is predominantly Catholic.
BUDAPEST — Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary portrays himself as the defender of Christian Europe against migrants and multiculturalism. After years of his weakening of democratic institutions, the far-right strongman has prepared for coming elections in Catholic-majority Hungary by strengthening his links to Catholic traditionalists in Europe and the United States.
On Sunday, Mr. Orban will get a visit from the leader of the Roman Catholic world himself when Pope Francis drops into town to celebrate Mass. Allies of Mr. Orban, who is increasingly isolated and rarely receives high-profile visits from Western leaders, desperately sought to ensure face time with the pontiff, and the Vatican has confirmed a private courtesy meeting before the Mass.
But it is also possible, people close to Francis say, that Mr. Orban might get more than he asked for when he meets with perhaps the globe’s leading champion of migrants and a clear voice against creeping authoritarianism and nationalism in Europe.
“One of my ways is not to go around with a script,” Francis said in an interview with Spanish radio network COPE last month when asked what he expected to say to Mr. Orban. “When I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.”
Whether Francis reads Mr. Orban the riot act on his first trip to Hungary — and his first trip abroad after major colon surgery in July — the meeting between two leaders with starkly different visions for Europe has already set off its fair share of intrigue, drama and name calling.
“One of my ways is not to go around with a script,” Francis said in an interview with Spanish radio network COPE last month when asked what he expected to say to Mr. Orban. “When I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.”
Whether Francis reads Mr. Orban the riot act on his first trip to Hungary — and his first trip abroad after major colon surgery in July — the meeting between two leaders with starkly different visions for Europe has already set off its fair share of intrigue, drama and name calling.
Francis originally had planned to visit Budapest for only a few hours, before continuing on for three full days to neighboring Slovakia, which is led by a young, pro-environment woman.
Meeting Hungary’s Strongman, Pope Treads a Fine Line With an Embattled Leader
Pope Francis’ meeting with Viktor Orban could help, or hurt, the prime minister’s efforts to curry favor with voters ahead of coming elections in Hungary, which is predominantly Catholic.
BUDAPEST — Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary portrays himself as the defender of Christian Europe against migrants and multiculturalism. After years of his weakening of democratic institutions, the far-right strongman has prepared for coming elections in Catholic-majority Hungary by strengthening his links to Catholic traditionalists in Europe and the United States.
On Sunday, Mr. Orban will get a visit from the leader of the Roman Catholic world himself when Pope Francis drops into town to celebrate Mass. Allies of Mr. Orban, who is increasingly isolated and rarely receives high-profile visits from Western leaders, desperately sought to ensure face time with the pontiff, and the Vatican has confirmed a private courtesy meeting before the Mass.
But it is also possible, people close to Francis say, that Mr. Orban might get more than he asked for when he meets with perhaps the globe’s leading champion of migrants and a clear voice against creeping authoritarianism and nationalism in Europe.
“One of my ways is not to go around with a script,” Francis said in an interview with Spanish radio network COPE last month when asked what he expected to say to Mr. Orban. “When I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.”
Whether Francis reads Mr. Orban the riot act on his first trip to Hungary — and his first trip abroad after major colon surgery in July — the meeting between two leaders with starkly different visions for Europe has already set off its fair share of intrigue, drama and name calling.
“One of my ways is not to go around with a script,” Francis said in an interview with Spanish radio network COPE last month when asked what he expected to say to Mr. Orban. “When I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.”
Whether Francis reads Mr. Orban the riot act on his first trip to Hungary — and his first trip abroad after major colon surgery in July — the meeting between two leaders with starkly different visions for Europe has already set off its fair share of intrigue, drama and name calling.
Francis originally had planned to visit Budapest for only a few hours, before continuing on for three full days to neighboring Slovakia, which is led by a young, pro-environment woman.
