France football team skipper Kylian Mbappé urged young people in his country to fight off their suspicions or apathy and vote in the forthcoming parliamentary elections to combat what he called the "extremes at the gates of power".
Mbappé, 25, made the call as the France squad were undergoing final preparations for their opening game in Group D on Monday night against Austria at the 2024 European championships in Germany.
"I know that there are quite a few young people who say: 'Yes, but one vote won't change anything.' On the contrary, every vote counts and that's something that shouldn't be overlooked," said Mbappé.
"Today, we can see very clearly that the extremes are at the gates of power and we have the opportunity to choose the future of our country.
"We know that we're at a very important moment in our country's history, in an unprecedented situation.
"So that's why I really want to address all the French people and especially the younger generation. I think we are a generation that can make a difference.
Diversity, tolerance, respect
"I hope that my voice will carry as much weight as possible," he added. "Because we need to identify with this country, we need to identify with our values, which are values of diversity, tolerance and respect."
On 9 June, French president Emmanuel Macron decided to hold a snap general election after the far-right National Rally (RN) party made huge gains in the polls for the European parliament.
"After today, I cannot act as if nothing had happened," Macron told viewers in a prime-time address to the nation.
"France needs a clear majority if it is to act in serenity and harmony," Macron said, "not political bargains and precarious solutions.
"Nothing could be more republican than giving a sovereign people their say," he added.
In a parallel move, 160 sportspeople from France signed a petition that was published in L'Equipe newspaper on Sunday.
Among those who signed are tennis players Yannick Noah and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and athlete Marie-José Pérec.
The signatories warn that the far right "exploit[s] differences and manipulates our fears to divide us.
"We are well aware of the growing difficulties that many encounter in making ends meet, the anger at inequalities, the lack of commitment and the fear of the future," the athletes wrote.
But they also pointed to the "lessons of the past", of "Nazism and anti-Semitism", insisting that the RN "continues to feed on racism and xenophobia."
'Sad reality'
On Friday, France striker Marcus Thuram, whose father, Lilian, played in the 1998 World Cup-winning side, said: "I think that's the sad reality of our society today. I think there are messages on TV every day to help this party get through. I think we have to fight every day to ensure that this doesn't happen again and that the RN doesn't get through."
In an attempt to calm growing anxiety over possible politicisation of the France team, the Féderation Française de Football issued a statement on Saturday which said it would not become involved in politics.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞́ 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐅𝐅𝐅
— FFF (@FFF) June 15, 2024
https://t.co/PNyhI8SE1A
"The Fédération Française de Football is strongly committed to freedom of expression and citizenship, and supports the call to go out and vote, which is a democratic requirement," said the communique.
"It also wants everyone to understand and respect its neutrality as an institution, as well as that of the national team for which it is responsible. Any form of pressure or political use of the French national team must be avoided."
However, Mbappé's comments are unlikely to reduce the debate and contrast sharply with the stance of his predecessor Hugo Lloris.
At the World Cup in Qatar, Lloris said he would not join the captains of 10 other European nations in wearing the OneLove heart, saying he wants to show respect to host nation Qatar.
"No matter what you say, there will be pros and cons," said Mbappé. "People will like it or not. As far as the players are concerned ... they are not outside the situation that France may be experiencing."
Citizens above all
France, who were runners-up at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, enter the tournament as the highest ranked side in the Fifa ratings and with Mbappé needing to display his prowess following his hysterically hyped transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid.
"You have to be able to keep things in perspective and have a sense of priorities," added Mbappé.
"The European championships have a very important place in our careers, but I think that we're citizens above all and I don't think we should be disconnected from the world around us, and even less so when it concerns our country.
"I really hope we make the right choice and I hope we'll still be proud to wear this jersey on the seventh."
