▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Co al ▁and ▁Ste el ▁Community . ▁which ▁grew ▁into ▁the ▁European ▁Union . ▁ ▁Its ▁vot er ▁base ▁gradually ▁dw ind led ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁it ▁had ▁little ▁power ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁of ▁French ▁Christian ▁Dem ocracy ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁sec ular ▁forces ▁sought ▁to ▁rad ically ▁reduce ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁in ▁France , ▁especially ▁regarding ▁schools . ▁ ▁The ▁Catholic ▁b ish ops ▁ ▁m istr usted ▁the ▁Republic ▁and ▁the ▁ideas ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁popular ▁so vere ig nt y , ▁which ▁question ed ▁the ▁superior ity ▁of ▁the ▁spiritual ▁power ▁over ▁the ▁temporal . ▁For ▁this ▁reason , ▁it ▁supported ▁all ▁the ▁conserv ative ▁govern ments ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁not ably ▁Mac M ah on ▁and ▁his ▁policy ▁of ▁" m oral ▁order ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁in ▁his ▁en cyc lic al ▁Au ▁Mil ieu ▁Des ▁Sol licit udes , ▁Pope ▁Leo ▁XIII ▁ad vised ▁the ▁French ▁C athol ics ▁to ▁r ally ▁to ▁the ▁Republic . ▁The ▁previous ▁year , ▁another ▁en cyc lic al , ▁R er um ▁nov ar um ▁had ▁den ounced ▁both ▁capital istic ▁society ▁and ▁social ist ▁ide ology , ▁and ▁advoc ated ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁Catholic ▁popular ▁organis ations . ▁In ▁ 1 8