Europe's historic and cultural unity must be saved, Pope Francis told Turin daily La Stampa in an interview published on Friday.
In the interview, the pontiff spoke about the dangers of nationalism and populism, the integration of migrants, the environmental emergency and the next Amazon synod.
"Europe can't and must not dissolve", the pope said.
"It is an historic and cultural unit as well as a geographical one", he noted.
"Now this heritage must not be lost". Over the years it has "become weaker" but "it is necessary to save it", the pope went on to say.
Francis also expressed the wish that after the European elections "a process to relaunch" Europe will begin and that it will move forward "without interruptions".
Sovereignism is an "attitude of isolation" he said.
"I am concerned because you can hear speeches that resemble those of Hitler in 1934", the pope also told the paper.
Sovereignism is "an exaggeration that always ends in a bad way - it brings wars".
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