French presidential candidates vie for Catholic votes
November 22, 2016
Two former French prime ministers made appeals to Catholic voters, each claiming to represent the thinking of Pope Francis, is a debate between candidates for the leadership of the Republican Party.
Two movements organized by lay Catholics in defense of marriage, Manif Pour Tous and Sens Commun, have supported Francois Fillon’s candidacy. But Fillon’s rival, Alain Juppé, argued that he has a better claim to Catholic support. “I’m the most open to modernism and I fell closer to the Pope than Sens Commun or Manif Pour Tous,” Juppé said.
Fillon disagreed. “On most issues on which Alain Juppé seems to want to contest me,” he argued, “Pope Francis says the same thing as me.”
The winner of the Republican Party endorsement will face nationalist leader Marine Le Pen in a spring 2017 contest for the presidency.
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