Pope Leo delivered one of the most sweeping political speeches of his papacy on Monday, telling Spain’s parliament that escalating global conflict, deepening political division and widespread disregard for human rights have pushed the world into a “profound spiritual and cultural crisis.”
Speaking just hours after Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks the most serious breach of their two‑month ceasefire Leo urged lawmakers to reject rising militarization and instead focus on ending wars and protecting the vulnerable. “Weapons can impose a temporary silence; but they can never build an authentic and lasting peace,” he said.
His address, delivered in Spanish, received a seven‑minute standing ovation a rare honour for any foreign leader and the first time a pope has ever addressed Spain’s national legislature.
Leo has adopted a more forceful tone in recent months, warning that global leadership is drifting toward confrontation rather than cooperation. On Monday, he repeated his firm opposition to Europe’s accelerating military spending, calling the trend “troubling” and urging governments to redirect their efforts toward peacebuilding and humanitarian protection.
Migration, he said, is now testing “the ethical foundation of the international order.” The pope has spent much of his week‑long visit meeting migrants and the homeless, and will conclude his trip in the Canary Islands, where thousands of people from West Africa risk their lives each year attempting the Atlantic crossing. More than 3,000 migrants died in 2025 attempting the journey, according to NGO Caminando Fronteras.
Leo told lawmakers that nations must go beyond “the mere management of flows” and confront the root causes of displacement war, poverty and climate change. “The moral greatness of a nation is manifested above all in its capacity to accompany, protect, and love those lives that pass through the greatest fragility,” he said.
Spain’s government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has recently launched a mass amnesty program allowing an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants to apply for legal status a move that has drawn both praise and criticism across Europe.
The pope also renewed his call for strict ethical oversight of artificial intelligence, warning that its use in warfare demands “rigorous ethical vigilance.” His comments follow a manifesto he issued last month urging governments to slow the development of advanced AI systems.
Leo’s sharpest warning, however, was reserved for Europe’s rearmament. Defence spending across the continent has surged to its highest level since the Cold War, driven in part by pressure from US President Donald Trump. Spain’s defence budget has more than tripled since 2018, rising from €10 billion to over €34 billion, though Sánchez has resisted Trump’s demand for NATO members to spend 5 percent of GDP on defence.
Last month, Leo described Europe’s military buildup as a “betrayal of democracy.” His message in Madrid made clear he has no intention of softening that stance.
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