As France is set to hold early general elections at the end of June, notable figures, including French soccer player Kylian Mbappé, are trying to prevent the far-right National Rally (RN) party from coming to power.
According to media outlets, Mbappé, who played for the French national team in Euro 2024, encouraged the younger generation to vote at a press conference held a day before the match against Austria on June 16. He said, “We know that extremists are very close to seizing power. We have the opportunity to choose the future of our country.” He continued to urge daily fights to prevent the National Rally from winning the election, suggesting they have not gone too far yet.
Over 60 athletes, including former tennis player Yannick Noah, former rugby players Serge Betsen and François Ouedraogo, and former track and field athlete Marie-José Pérec, published a letter in the French sports media L’Équipe urging the rejection of the far-right party.
French President Emmanuel Macron decided to dissolve the parliament and hold early general elections after the National Rally recorded the highest vote share in the European Parliament elections held from June 6 to 9. The election campaign began at midnight on the day the candidate registration deadline ended at 6 PM. The first round of voting is scheduled for June 30, and the final vote will take place on July 7. According to a poll released on the same day, the National Rally is expected to take first place with 33% of the votes in the first round. The New People’s Front (NPF), formed by Unbowed France (LFI), the French Communist Party (PCF), the Socialist Party (PS), and the Green Party (EELV) to block the National Rally, had 25% while Renaissance, which includes Macron, followed with 22%.