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Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, warned European Union chiefs must seize the moment to "reset" the bloc in the wake of Brexit.

The top diplomat stressed the religious state in the city of Rome is "concerned" about populism engulfing Europe and said the time has come for leaders to reform the union.

Populist anti-immigrant parties have made gains in a number of European countries, including Italy, France and the Netherlands, threatening the future of the EU.

Geert Wilders launched his Dutch election campaign with plans to crackdown on migrants and polls predict Front National leader Marine Le Pen will win the first round of France's presidential election.

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It is obvious there are many tensions, many difficulties

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Both politicians have threatened to take their countries out of the EU if they win power.

Cardinal Parolin told Vatican Radio the European project must be "relaunched" ahead of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome.

He said: It is obvious there are many tensions, many difficulties, but they are also able to become, as they say, a kairos an opportune moment to reset the political relationship on a new basis.

EU member states have pledged to use the March 25 anniversary as an opportunity to "rebuild" the crumbling bloc which has struggled to cope with the arrival of more than 1.3 million migrants since the start of 2015.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to unite Europe and will join EU leaders in the Italian capital next month to celebrate the Treaty of Rome.

The Cardinal's comments come as he launched a blistering attack on out-of touch politicians.

Recognising the gap between the political elite and voters, Cardinal Parolin criticised politics for "sometimes being too distant".

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He called on leaders grasp the needs of the people, of real people, and must be able to give answers that are real answers, so that people come back to live and to hope.

The Cardinal, who has been touted as a future Pope, was speaking after a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and other officials.

In a veiled dig at US President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban and calls to "Make America Great Again", Cardinal Parolin warned isolationism, is "never a good policy".

He said: The inability to welcome and integrate can be dangerous.

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History teaches us this, and we hope that in this sense it will not be repeated.

Last week Pope Francis denounced "populist rhetoric" for fuelling fear.

The Pope called for a radical change of attitude towards immigrants, saying they should be welcomed with dignity.

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Courts in the US have blocked an executive order by President Trump to ban arrivals from seven mainly Muslim countries.

Pope Francis, who did not single out any particular country in his address, said: "Faced with this kind of rejection, rooted ultimately in self-centeredness and amplified by populist rhetoric, what is needed is a change of attitude, to overcome indifference and to counter fears with a generous approach of welcoming those who knock at our doors."

He added: "For those who flee conflicts and terrible persecutions, often trapped within the grip of criminal organisations who have no scruples, we need to open accessible and secure humanitarian channels."

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Now even the Pope says the EU needs to be RELAUNCHED - Express.co.uk