Youthful soccer sensation Mbappé urges French adolescents to exercise their voting rights to counteract extremists.
Regular queries about potential issues in Group D's face-off between France and Austria were set aside during the pre-match press conference, as Mbappe openly shared his concerns.
"This is an unprecedented situation," Mbappe, France's star player, stated to the gathered press. "And that's why I want to address the entire French populace, but especially the youth."
"We are a generation with the potential to make a significant impact. We witness extremist ideologies attempting to seize control, and we have the chance to shape the future of our nation," he added.
Following President Emmanuel Macron's unexpected announcement of a swift parliamentary election later this month, the French football federation requested that the national team, Les Bleus, be kept neutral and refrain from being politicized. This decision was prompted by Macron's poor performance in the European Union vote against Marine Le Pen's far-right party.
The political turmoil has left France in a state of suspense and has caused turbulence within financial markets. Macron's decision offers a chance for the far-right National Rally (RN) to assert political power, potentially challenging Macron's presidency three years before its term ends.
Polls predict that the RN could win the elections on June 30 and July 7, although they might not secure a majority to govern independently.
Although expressing their stance against any pressure and political exploitation of the team, the French federation allowed players to voice their opinions. Forward Marcus Thuram called for constant struggle to prevent the RN from gaining power, and Mbappe, due to share Real Madrid as his new club post-tournament, echoed Thuram's sentiments.
"I stand with his view. I share the same sentiments when I spoke about diversity, tolerance, and respect," Mbappe declared.
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Mbappé, recognizing the importance of civic engagement, encouraged French youth to participate in the upcoming elections, stating, "Your voices and votes can help prevent extremist ideologies from gaining influence in our country." During a team meeting, the topic of football shifted to politics as Mbappé spoke passionately about the upcoming elections and his concern for the welfare of the nation.
