The leader of the far-right National Union party criticised the “moral lessons” of France striker Kylian Mbappe on Friday, who called for a vote to prevent the country from falling “into the hands of these people”.
“The French are tired of receiving moral lectures and instructions on how to vote,” Marine Le Pen said in an interview with the newspaper. CNN Francein which he also called for “moderation” on the part of the “billionaires” who act as spokesmen for the positions he represents.
Le Pen criticised “people who are lucky enough to live very comfortably” and “be protected from the insecurity, poverty and unemployment” that plague their compatriots.
Laurent Iacobelli, a spokesman for the National Union (Rassemblement Nationale, in French), also criticised the French team captain, advising him to “stay in his place”.
“I’m not going to go on the pitch to give coaching advice, I think everyone should stay in their place,” Iacobelli told TF1 after the French striker urged people to vote during a press conference on Thursday ahead of the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Portugal.
Referring to one of Mbappe’s lines at the press conference, Iacobelli argued that the player’s “good side” should be to be in the “France team”, to wear “everyone’s jersey, regardless of their voice”.
France’s snap legislative elections will go into a second round on Sunday after Jordan Bardella’s far-right party won the first round with 33% of the vote.
Next come the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NPF, 28.5%) and the centrists Together for the Republic, part of President Emmanuel Macron’s party (22%).
The elections were called by French President Emmanuel Macron after the defeat of his party (Renaissance) and the sharp rise of the National Union (far-right) in the European Parliament elections on June 9. The election of a new leader is not expected until 2027.