Pope Francis: US citizens should choose 'lesser evil'

“Whether it’s the one who expels migrants or the one who kills children, both are against life,” the 87-year-old said, harshly criticizing both candidates. Who is the lesser evil? “I don’t know,” the pope said.

Ahead of the U.S. presidential election, Pope Francis has sharply criticized both candidates and urged American Catholics to vote for the “lesser of two evils.” On Friday, the pope did not mention Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump by name, but instead referred to their gender and political agendas. “Whether it’s the one who expels immigrants or the one who kills babies, both are pro-life.”

The 87-year-old urged the 52 million Catholics in the United States to go to the polls. “You have to choose the lesser of two evils,” he said. “Which is the lesser of two evils? This lady or this gentleman? I don’t know. Anyone with a clear conscience should think about it and then act.”

The pope had already criticized Trump in the 2016 election for his anti-immigrant policies, declaring that the Republican, in his opinion, is not Christian. He is critical of current Vice President Harris’s stance on abortion. She has said she would reinstate abortion rights nationwide, struck down by the Supreme Court, in 2022 if Congress provides her with a suitable law. A close vote on November 5 is expected. Catholics could play an important role: in some electoral states, such as Pennsylvania, they make up more than a fifth of adults. (APA/Reuters)