A brief passage, but one carrying considerable political and institutional weight. In his address in San Marino, Pope Leo XIV explicitly mentioned the Association Agreement with the European Union, listing it among the challenges awaiting the Republic and acknowledging that Titano has something genuine to offer to the European project.
«This commitment appears all the more valuable today, as the Association Agreement with the European Union is about to become operational and your Republic will find itself engaging steadily, albeit in its own distinctive way, with a complex reality — one that stands to benefit greatly from your contribution».
These are words that amount to a clear endorsement of San Marino’s European path. Leo XIV did not dwell on the technical details of the accord, but pointed instead to what he sees as the Republic’s added value in its new relationship with the EU: that of a small state capable of keeping politics close to its people.
The Pontiff described San Marino as a state built “on a human scale”, where «it is possible to experience politics staying close to the needs of citizens» and thus a «more effective democracy». A trait that, in the Pope’s words, can turn the Republic into a genuine “laboratory of good politics”.
A laboratory grounded in the pursuit of the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity and social justice. And it is precisely this experience, according to Leo XIV, that San Marino can bring to its new, stable relationship with the European Union.
The reference to the Agreement fits into a broader reflection on Libertas, a founding element of Sammarinese identity — a notion of freedom the Pope also linked to the Republic’s international vocation and its long-standing commitment to peace.
«For you, Libertas also means an unwavering commitment to active and positive participation in building peace», Leo XIV stressed, expressing «deep appreciation» for an outlook in which he recognized a particular affinity with that of the Holy See.
From there came his call for diplomacy and multilateralism, described as «privileged paths» for building international relations and fostering understanding between nations, especially at a time marked by «impulsive communication», «aggressive rhetoric» and the «logic of power».
Europe, peace and good politics thus become intertwined in the message Leo XIV addressed to the Republic — closing with a conviction voiced in the final lines of this part of his speech: even a small state can have something to teach a much larger and more complex reality. And the starting point, for the Pope, must always remain the same: «care for humanity».
