Rome, 7 July 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Pope Francis on Sunday expressed concern about the state of the world's democracies at an event in the northern Italian city of Trieste.

"Let's be honest: in today's world, democracy is not in good health," said the head of the Catholic Church, while stressing the importance of participation in democratic processes, including voting. "Indifference is a cancer for democracy," he added.

Francis was speaking at the end of the Social Week of Italian Catholics, week-long series of events focused on social issues. In front of a crowd of around 1,200 participants, he said: "Everyone must feel part of a community project. No one should feel useless."

The pope did not elaborate on which countries he was referring to.

The 87-year-old pontiff, who is in poor health, has not been on a long trip abroad for almost a year. In recent weeks, however, he has visited various northern Italian cities, including Venice, Verona and now Trieste.

In addition, Francis - who is also the head of state of the Vatican - attended the summit of the Group of Seven (G7) major democratic industrialized nations in southern Italy in mid-June.

Photo: EPA