Mbappé’s critique of the far right underscores France’s cultural divide
by https://euobserver.com/author/magdalena-fajtova/ · EUobserverIllustration. Source: Milan Bureš/Respect.
Unlock article and share
By Magdaléna Fajtová,
Prague
,
One of the most famous footballers in the world has repeatedly called on people not to vote for the National Rally. The party has responded by mocking him.
French football star Kylian Mbappé has thrown himself into a match on home turf. His opponent is the National Rally, the far-right, anti-immigration party of Marine Le Pen. Mbappé said in a recent interview with the American monthly Vanity Fair that he feared for the future of his country if it were to be led by a National Rally president.
National Rally representatives responded with jibes that when Mbappe left Paris Saint-Germain, the club went on to win the Champions League. But at the same time, they are aware of his popularity and status, commenting that the “elitist” Mbappé should focus on football rather than politics.
Mbappé countered that, as a French citizen, he is entitled to express his views on politics and concerns about what France would look like if next year’s elections were won by Le Pen or her party colleague Jordan Bardella, who, according to opinion polls, are strong contenders.
The affair quickly filled the pages of French and European media and became another battleground in the culture wars. National Rally spokesperson Julien Odoul said that Mbappé should not behave like a “political activist”, because as France captain he represented the whole country, including millions of National Rally voters. Conservative journalist Geoffroy Lejeune called on coach Didier Deschamps not to select Mbappé, arguing that he was creating bad chemistry in the team.
Deschamps has stood up for his star player, saying he had every right to freedom of expression – as have a number of French media and public figures, including Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Grégoire.
Two hundred followers
The clash between Mbappé and National Rally politicians started two years ago when, ahead of snap parliamentary elections, the player appealed to young people not to vote for political extremists. “Extremists stand at the gates of power. We have a chance to decide the future of our country,” he said, adding that he wanted to go on being proud of the French shirt he was soon to wear at the European Championship.
Mbappé did not name any specific party and his remarks to journalists at a Euro 2024 press conference were in response to a question about his reaction to comments made by team-mate Marcus Thuram – who had said in an interview a few days earlier that he wished the far-right National Rally would not come to power.
Odoul responded to Mbappé in a similar vein on X, writing that he had “had enough of privileged preachers who think the French are idiots.” Later, on French television, he softened his words, saying that Kylian Mbappé was a fantastic player with whom he shared “an aversion to extremism and a rejection of aggressiveness, which is the hallmark of the far left.” He said he did not see Mbappé’s warning as being directed at the National Rally.
But more than two hundred French athletes then followed Mbappé’s lead, calling in an open letter on the public to reject the far right. In the end, despite its success in the first round – which Mbappé described as catastrophic – the party did not win the election. It came third, behind the left-wing National Popular Front coalition and President Macron’s centrist Together coalition.
The French electoral system has historically been unfavourable to the far right. It is a two-round system in which people in 577 constituencies elect their member of parliament. When a far-right candidate makes it to the second round, voters from across the spectrum often unite against them – this has also happened in presidential elections.
To read this story, log in or subscribe
Enjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a member for as low as €1,75 per week.
Become a member
Already a member? Login
Unlock article and share
Latest from far-right
Europe’s 2027 elections will show if the EU dares to call out US interference
How the identitarian ‘remigration’ movement rebrands extremism
Latest from France
G7 in Evian: Macron uses ‘middle powers’ summit to toughen EU line on China
Trump’s America resettled more refugees than the EU and UK combined last year
Latest from Society
Europol is going rogue – so Brussels is doubling its budget?
EU should shut the door on all Russian tourists while Putin’s war rages
Latest from EU politics
Dutch PM calls out Spain’s lack of Ukraine funding, amid speculation on peace talks
Hungary’s new government dismantles Fidesz‑era public media, triggering mass layoffs (67 days post-election)
Illustration. Source: Milan Bureš/Respect.
Topics
Author Bio
Magdaléna Fajtová is a reporter at Respekt, a Czech magazine. She studied journalism at Masaryk University and International Relations in Prague at Charles University. In 2022, she received the Czech-German Journalism Prize, the Milena Jesenská Special Award, granted by the Czech-German Fund for the Future.
+ Follow author by email