Footballer Kylian Mbappé attacks France’s extreme right

In addition to the correct pronunciation croissantWinning the European Championship is pretty much the only thing the French agree on. But on the eve of his country’s first match, Kylian Mbappearguably the best player of his generation, used his spotlight to draw the nation’s attention from the field to the ballot box.

“We are at a crucial moment in the history of our country,” warned Mbappé, alluding to what he sees as the threats that exist: Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National, which achieved a spectacular result in the recent European Parliament elections and elected President Emmanuel Macron to dissolve parliament and call new elections. Mbappé called on fans to vote on June 30 to block the “extremists who are knocking on the doors of power.”

Many players in the French team are immigrants or children of immigrants – Mbappé’s parents come from Cameroon and Algeria – them contradicting Le Pen’s plans to strictly limit migration. Mbappé’s announcement came hours after his teammate Marcus Thuram, also called on fans to vote against the extreme right.

His call for action came after dozens of Thousands took to the streets in France on Saturday to denounce the far right in protests organized by the unions and supported by the newly formed left-wing coalition. Survey show that the Rassemblement National is in the lead, but we will be watching to see whether the backlash against the far-right’s success gains momentum ahead of the vote later this month.