In historic speech, Pope Leo calls on Spanish Parliament to defend life

Pope Leo XIV this week called on the Spanish Parliament to defend life "from conception to its natural end," in a historic speech to the nation's lawmakers.

Key Takeaways:

• Pope Leo XIV became the first pope in history to address members of the Spanish Parliament this week.

• He called on lawmakers to defend life "from conception to its natural end."

• Spain has expanded both its abortion and euthanasia laws in recent years.

The Details:

The pope's remarks came on June 8, during the first papal visit to the country in 15 years. His statements marked the first time in history a pope addressed Spain's parliament. Among his wide-ranging comments, he addressed the need for lawmakers to defend life at all stages.

“Every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person,” Leo said. “Such dignity precedes any concession by the State and cannot be subordinated to shifting social consensus or the whims of the majority at any given moment. It belongs to every human being by the very fact of their existence, and for this reason, it must guide every positive legal system.”

He warned lawmakers against a "throwaway culture" which views life as expendable, saying:

In this sense, if life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have? Can a community that casts into the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence, or those who depend entirely on the care of others be called fully just?

The defense of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilization.

Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence. When this certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable are the first victims, and the law loses its deepest meaning: to serve and protect every person.

For this reason, the moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile.

Why It Matters:

In recent years, Spain has become radical in its expansion of abortion and euthanasia. According to 2024 data, there were 106,172 abortions in the country that year, the highest figure in more than a decade. Lawmakers have also...

• moved to make abortion a constitutional 'right'

• criminalized pro-life activity outside abortion facilities

• called for a "blacklist" of doctors who refuse to commit abortions

Assisted death has also expanded since the country legalized euthanasia in 2021. Since that time, advocates have called on expanding the law to allow for legalized death for mental illness cases. In a highly publicized case earlier this year, a young woman was allowed a euthanasia death following a failed suicide attempt, despite pleas from her family for the Spanish courts to intervene.

The Bottom Line:

As Pope Leo reiterated, all human life has human dignity. Each human being deserves to be defended at all stages.