Pope criticises low birth rate – and backs migrants

In view of low birth rates, Pope Francis has called for better treatment of migrants. They are "in a way the children we don't want to have", the Pope told participants at a congress of Catholic social initiatives in the Vatican on Monday. The Pope called the average age of locals - for example in Italy or Spain - "a bit scandalous". Accordingly, one should be grateful for the arrival of migrants.

With regard to the Italians, he criticised: "Oh yes, they all have a dog or a cat, but they have no children." In the country with one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, he regularly voices this criticism. It is a thorn in his side that, in his opinion, many people would rather keep pets. Francis frequently calls for responsible parenthood and supports initiatives to increase the birth rate. (KNA)