France soccer player Koundé 'disappointed' at election results with far-right close to taking power
France soccer player Jules Koundé says he is “disappointed to see the direction our country is taking."
DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — France soccer player Jules Koundé said he was “disappointed to see the direction our country is taking” after results from the first round of legislative elections left the nation’s far-right party closer than ever of getting into power.
Marine Le Pen’s 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.
“It isn’t over yet,” Koundé said, speaking through a translator after France’s 1-0 win over Belgium at the the European Championship. “It is very important so that the extreme right-wing party … doesn’t come in.”
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’s first far-right government since World War II. However, the outcome remains uncertain amid the complex voting system and political tactics.
