Pedro Sánchez holds first meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. The Spanish Prime Minister met with Pope Leo XIV ten days before the pontiff's visit to Spain. After the talks, Sánchez will comment for the first time on the Zapatero case. The meeting comes amid political pressure.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived at the Vatican on Wednesday morning for his first face-to-face meeting with Pope Leon XIV. The talks took place ten days before the pontiff's planned visit to Spain, scheduled for June 6–12. Sánchez's trip to Rome coincided with a period of political tension within the country and became one of the Spanish government's key international events at the start of the summer.
According to protocol, Sánchez arrived at the Apostolic Palace before 9 a.m., where he was greeted by the new Prefect of the Papal Household, Archbishop Peter Rajić, and representatives of the Vatican protocol. After a brief ceremony, the head of government ascended to the third floor of the palace, where Pope Leon XIV awaited him in the Tronetto Hall. The main part of the talks took place in the library, where the parties discussed issues of international politics and social doctrine.
The meeting was particularly significant as it took place shortly after the publication of the papal encyclical Magnifica humanitas, devoted to the risks of new technologies and criticism of far-right ideologies, including in the United States. According to RUSSPAIN, this topic became one of the central points in the dialogue between Sánchez and the pontiff, given the growing influence of digital platforms on public life and politics.
After talks with the Pope, Sánchez held a separate meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin. Official comments from the Holy See are traditionally limited to a brief statement, but the Spanish Prime Minister announced his own press conference at the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See on Piazza di Spagna. It is there that he will publicly respond for the first time to questions about the legal case involving former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Until now, Sánchez had commented on the topic only once—last week in Congress, when he expressed support for the former president. However, new details have since emerged in the case.
Sánchez's visit to the Pope takes place amid a complex internal situation in Spain, where the government faces pressure due to the investigation involving Zapatero. Attention to the Prime Minister's press conference is heightened by anticipation of his stance on the new developments in the case. At the same time, the meeting with Leon XIV can be used to demonstrate unity on issues of international policy and social responsibility. It is important to note that such visits often prompt discussions not only of religious matters, but also political topics, as was the case during the recent exhibition in Barcelona, which focused on the role of papal visits in the country's history—more on this can be found in the article about the exhibition on Sagrada Familia and papal visits.
For reference: Pope Leo XIV has occupied the papal throne since 2023 and has already established himself as an active participant in international discussions on digital ethics and social justice. The encyclical Magnifica humanitas became a significant event in the Catholic world and caused a wide resonance in Europe. Visits by Spanish leaders to the Vatican are traditionally regarded as an important element of the country's foreign policy, especially during periods of political crisis or change.
