Emmanuel Macron with his Italian partners before a visit to the Pope

French President Emmanuel Macron with President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and Head of Government Mario Draghi (center), during a dinner in Rome on November 25, 2021. © Quirinale Press Office / AFP

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2 min

Emmanuel Macron wanted to meet Pope Francis during his current trip to Rome.

This will be the second audience of the French president at the Holy See, after 2018. An interview at the Vatican with the Holy Father, in a presidential campaign, is not trivial.

After Europe, alongside the current Italian leaders, it will inevitably be a question of migrants, during this meeting with François.

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With our special correspondent in Rome,

After

, Emmanuel Macron arrived in Rome on Thursday.

Only a few weeks after the G20, here is the French president back in the Italian capital.

The last time, there was notably met Joe Biden.

But it is the dramatic

off the French coast, which cost the lives of 27 migrants trying to reach England, which will necessarily be at the heart of the exchanges between Emmanuel Macron and Pope Francis, Friday, November 26, 2021 at the Vatican.

The sovereign pontiff has

his concern about the fate of migrants, and this "

 " of the pope, Emmanuel Macron considers it " 

".

This is what he told journalists from

and

on the plane this Thursday.

"If we do not face it, we give fuel to nationalisms

"

In a presidential campaign where migration issues are at the heart of the debates, Emmanuel Macron is looking for solutions not to expose himself to attacks from his right-wing opponents, by trying to hold his line of firmness and, at the same time, of humanity.

The French president wants to believe, it seems, that he can find support from the sovereign pontiff.

Mr. Macron said in the same interview he said, "

 ".

François, still according to the French head of state, is thus aware that " 

 ".

The very ones that Emmanuel Macron wants to fight in Europe and in France, during the campaign.

No more clouds on the horizon between France and Italy

Emmanuel Macron traveled to Italy to sign the Quirinal Treaty, a Franco-Italian agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

A way of reminding us, when France will take the presidency of the EU, that Rome is an ally on which it can count, since the departure of power from the far right.

The president's visit to Rome should show that between France and Italy, now everything is fine, and even more: " 

 ", enthuses an adviser to the Head of State. , which insists a lot on the quality of the personal relationship between Emmanuel Macron and Mario Draghi.

Between him and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, " 

 " has developed.

The page of the quarrel, when Matteo Salvini, then Minister of the Interior, supported the yellow vests, is therefore turned.

And the signing of the Quirinal Treaty comes at the right time to relaunch bilateral cooperation.

At a time when France will take the presidency of the EU, and also at a time when Germany is in the midst of a political transition with the departure of Angela Merkel from the chancellery, at the Elysee, we recognize, Emmanuel Macron wants rely "a 

" on Italy "

".

But that does not call into question the proximity with Germany, the famous Franco-German couple, according to an adviser to President Macron, according to which " 

 ".

In short, a little more Italy does not necessarily mean a little less Germany.

VG

► RFI Archive: The French President's busy day at the Vatican (2018)

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• France

• Emmanuel Macron

• Italy

• Pope Francis

• Mario draghi

• French politics