59% of Catalans have a favorable view of Pope Leo XIV, according to the latest barometer from the Centre for Opinion Studies (CEO), the polling body of the Government of Catalonia. The survey ranks the Pontiff as the best-valued international leader among the Catalan population and attributes this rise in popularity, among other factors, to his recent apostolic journey to Catalonia.
The poll also examines the weight that the Pope’s opinion carries among citizens. 9% of respondents say they attach “a great deal of importance” to his views, two percentage points more than in the barometer published a year ago, coinciding with the conclave in which Leo XIV was elected.
On the other hand, 23% say the Pontiff’s opinion can be important when he addresses issues that affect them personally. In contrast, 22% believe his opinion is not particularly important and 45% say they attach no value to it. The remaining 1% did not respond or did not know.
Differences by religious affiliation
The study also breaks down the results according to the religious affiliation of those surveyed.
Among those who identify as Catholic, 14% say they attach a great deal of importance to the Pope’s opinion and 29% consider it relevant when he speaks about matters that concern them. 24% maintain that it is not especially important and 32% say they give it no value.
Among Evangelical and Protestant Christians, 10% attach a great deal of importance to Leo XIV’s opinions and 25% consider them relevant depending on the topic.
In the case of Muslims, 8% say they attach a great deal of importance to the Pontiff’s opinions, while 18% indicate that they may be relevant depending on the issue.
Meanwhile, 56% of agnostics and 65% of atheists say they attach no value to the Pope’s opinion.
The CEO’s interpretation
The director of the Centre for Opinion Studies, Joan Rodríguez, noted that the Pontiff’s public influence extends beyond the sphere of practicing Catholics.
He explained that a significant portion of the population pays attention to Leo XIV’s interventions when he addresses current issues such as housing or immigration. Rodríguez added that “figures who, on a global scale, connect spiritually with the population can reach a wider audience than the one they are directly addressing.”
The barometer also concludes that more citizens claim to listen to the Pope’s messages than those who identify as practicing Catholics, a figure that, according to the CEO, reflects the public reach of the Pontiff’s figure beyond the strictly religious sphere.