By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - As the French national team prepares for their opening game against Austria in Group D of Euro 2024, star forward Kylian Mbappe has found himself at the center of a political storm back home.
During the pre-match media conference on Monday, the usual football-related questions took a backseat as Mbappe addressed the ongoing political crisis in France, describing the situation as a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.
“This is a never-seen-before event,” Mbappe stated. “And that is why I want to talk to the whole of the French people, but also the youth. We are a generation that can make a difference. We see the extremes are knocking on the door of power and we have the opportunity to shape our country’s future.”
His remarks come following President Emmanuel Macron’s shocking announcement to hold a snap parliamentary election after a significant defeat to Marine Le Pen’s far-right party in the recent European Union vote.
Meanwhile, around 10,000 people gathered in Lyon's Place Marechal Lyautey to demonstrate against the far-right following calls from unions.
Over 600,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide over the weekend to protest the rise of the far-right in the country.
In the French leg of the EP elections, the National Rally secured 31.37% of the vote and took the lead by a wide margin, while President Macron's party Renaissance came in second with 14.60%.