Nuno Melo addressed journalists before a campaign event of the AD – PSD/CDS coalition in Santarém, following the announcement by the Holy See that American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was elected Pope by the 133 cardinals gathered in Rome, assuming the name Leo XIV.
The leader of the Christian Democrats and also the Minister of Defense began by mentioning the former Pope Francis, “who in very difficult times, with a very dangerous world, knew how to convey the right messages”:
“He knew how to unite people, brought youth closer to the Catholic Church, set an absolutely remarkable example, leaving a very high bar for his successor,” he stated.
Regarding the new Pope Leo XIV, Nuno Melo expressed hope “that he can be a messenger and a leader among Catholics and beyond, having an ecumenical vision.”
“With a word that continues a path of permanent challenge, in a world that persists in the difficulties encountered by Pope Francis,” the CDS president added, referring to the war in Ukraine and at a time when “everything is getting more complicated in the Middle East.”
He also noted, “when China rises as a global power, when the Americans shift their attention to the Indo-Pacific. In this global context, the Vatican, the Pope, the Catholic Church are crucial,” he emphasized.
Asked about the coincidence of the new Pope’s selection with the moment when the presidents of CDS and PSD were in Fátima, Nuno Melo responded with a touch of humor:
“I would say that, with the designs of heaven confirmed, it is now time for good choices on Earth. And on Earth, it seems evident to me that these good choices will go through the AD, through the PSD and CDS coalition,” he added.
