Pope Francis criticises West for trying to export own brand of democracy to Iraq, Libya

Pope Francis meets young refugees from Syria

Pope's Easter message calls for 'weapons of love'

Pope Francis urged the world in his Easter message on Sunday to use the "weapons of love" to combat the evil of "blind and brutal violence" following terrorist attacks.

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Rome: Pope Francis criticised Western powers for trying to export their own brand of democracy to countries such as Iraq and Libya without respecting indigenous political cultures, according to an interview published on Monday.

Speaking to France's Roman Catholic newspaper, La Croix, Francis also said Europe should better integrate migrants and praised the election of the new Muslim mayor of London as an example of where this had been successful.

The pope praised the election of Sadiq Khan as the first Muslim mayor of London. 

"Faced with current Islamist terrorism, we should question the way a model of democracy that was too Western was exported to countries where there was a strong power, as in Iraq, or Libya, where there was a tribal structure," he said.

"As a Libyan said recently, 'We used to have one Gaddafi, now we have fifty", Francis said in reference to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who was deposed and killed in 2011.

Francis has frequently attacked what he calls "cultural colonialism", in which Western countries seek to impose their values on developing ones in return for financial aid.

Pope Francis has criticised Western powers. Photo: Petros Giannakouris/AP

The pope said that "ghettoising" migrants was not only wrong but was also misguided in the fight against terrorism.

He cited the militant attacks in Brussels in March when three suicide bombers killed 32 people, in which "the terrorists were Belgians, children of migrants, but they came from a ghetto".

By contrast, the pope praised this month's election of Sadiq Khan as the first Muslim mayor of London.

"In London, the new mayor was sworn in in a cathedral and will probably be received by the queen. This shows the importance for Europe to regain its ability to integrate," Francis said.

Ten days ago, the pope lambasted Europe over what he sees as its inadequate response to the influx of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle-East and Africa.

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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/pope-francis-criticises-west-for-trying-to-export-own-brand-of-democracy-to-iraq-libya-20160516-gowmpu.html#ixzz48rWNttJd