More than 200 French athletes and sporting personalities have signed an open letter calling on voters to reject the far right in the snap parliamentary election called by Emmanuel Macron, describing it as “not only … a civic duty, but also an act of love for our country”.
As the official election campaign kicked off with just two weeks to go before the first round of voting, the appeal called for “a more inclusive and democratic society” and accused rightwing politicians of exploiting differences and diversity and “manipulating our fears to divide us”.
“We are well aware of the growing difficulties many people face in making ends meet, the anger at inequality, the lack of commitment and the fear of the future. But as professional sportsmen and women, coaches and decision-makers, we cannot resign ourselves to seeing the extreme right take power in our country,” it read.
“What kind of future do we want for ourselves and our children? We cannot conceive of our children living in a society where fear of others, suspicion and violence are at the heart of the state, as has been the case in authoritarian regimes governed by the extreme right.
“We’re calling on everyone with a passion for sport to take action against the rise of the far right. On 30 June and 7 July, voting will not only be a civic duty but also an act of love for our country, for our loved ones, and for all those more vulnerable than us, who will be prey to discrimination if the far right comes to power.
“More than ever, we need to rise above the fray, above the dangerous tackles, above the cheap shots, and promote the love of the collective and the joy of playing together.”
Published in L’Équipe newspaper, the letter was signed by athletes across a wide range of disciplines, sporting personalities, trainers and club directors, including Yannick Noah, the former tennis player turned singer, Serge Betsen, a former French international rugby union player, Marie-José Perec, a triple Olympic gold medallist sprinter, and Marion Bartoli, who triumphed at Wimbledon in 2013.
Their intervention came hours after France’s football captain, Kylian Mbappé, and his team-mate in Les Bleus Marcus Thuram urged voters to reject Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and Eric Zemmour’s Reconquest party at the election.
Mbappé widened his appeal, calling on his compatriots to not let the “extremes” – either far right or far left – into power, saying it was a pivotal moment for French history.
“I want to talk to the whole of the French people, but also the youth. We are a generation that can make a difference. The extremes are at the gates of power. We have the chance to choose the future of our country,” he said on the eve of France’s opening game at Euro 2024 on Monday.
While the public alerts from star footballers were welcomed by leftwing parties, they prompted a dismissive response from Sébastien Chenu, an MP for the RN.
“I don’t expect people who are out of touch with reality to lecture the French,” he said in a radio interview on Monday morning. “When you wear the French team’s shirt, you show restraint.”
Chenu added: “There’s no need to be afraid. Our party is like any other.”
Julien Odoul, an RN spokesperson, said on X: “I’ve had enough of these privileged preachers who take the French for fools.”
Later Odoul told French television: “Kylian Mbappé is a fantastic player … I share his aversion to extremism … his rejection of violence that is the trademark of the extreme left … I consider his message is not addressed to the RN.”
The political statements prompted the French football federation to call for the national team’s neutrality to be respected and for Les Bleus not be politicised after the president’s shock decision to dissolve parliament in the wake of the RN winning France’s European elections by a large majority. The federation said players were free to express their own views.
The election campaign began officially on Monday after the deadline for parties to nominate candidates on Sunday. Macron’s announcement has plunged France into political turmoil with polls showing the RN winning the two-round vote but falling short of an absolute majority, leaving the party unable to govern without forming a coalition.
Clément Beaune, Macron’s former Europe minister, said: “At such a serious moment, nobody can sit on the bench. It’s brave and necessary for great sports stars to get involved.”