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DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) \u2014 France soccer player Jules Kound\u00e9 said he was \u201cdisappointed to see the direction our country is taking\u201d after results from the first round of legislative elections left the nation\u2019s far-right party closer than ever of getting into power.<\/p>\n
Marine Le Pen\u2019s National Rally, a party with a history of racism and xenophobia and once shunned by the mainstream, had about 33% of the vote. The decisive second round of voting is on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt isn\u2019t over yet,\u201d Kound\u00e9 said, speaking through a translator after France\u2019s 1-0 win over Belgium at the the European Championship. \u201cIt is very important so that the extreme right-wing party \u2026 doesn\u2019t come in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tapping into voter frustration with inflation and a sense that many French families are being left behind by globalization, the National Rally is hoping to claim an outright majority so it can form France\u2019s first far-right government since World War II. However, the outcome remains uncertain amid the complex voting system and political tactics.<\/p>\n
France\u2019s players, many of whom have immigrant backgrounds, have been asked regularly about the political situation back home in news conferences at Euro 2024.<\/p>\n
France\u2019s star striker, Kylian Mbapp\u00e9, previously called on French people to vote and warned against \u201cextremes\u201d at a time when the far right seeks to take power. Another squad member, Ousmane Dembele, has said \u201cthe alarm bell has been sounded\u201d and Marcus Thuram went further by saying French people \u201cneed to fight daily so that … the National Rally does not succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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AP Euro 2024: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/euro-2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n