Le Pen hits back at Kylian Mbappé after he warned of 'catastrophic' French election result
Le Pen has hit back at the footballer's remarks
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Marine Le Pen has hit back at Kylian Mbappé, saying he does not represent immigrants.
The France and Real Madrid star has made repeated pleas for French voters to block the "extremes" from coming into power ahead of this Sunday's second-round elections.
Now Le Pen has responded, claiming Mbappé doesn’t represent French people with an immigrant background.
Mbappé whose family originally came from Cameroon and Algeria, also said he did not want to "represent a country" that didn’t embody his "values".
Le Pen has hit back at the footballer's remarks
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He called on France’s young voters to reject extremism and, on the eve of his team’s quarter-final against Portugal, was asked again for a message ahead of the return to the polls on Sunday for the parliamentary election run-off.
"I think that more than ever, we have to go and vote, it is really urgent, we cannot leave our country in the hands of these people, it is really urgent," Mbappe told a press conference.
"We saw the results of the first round, it’s catastrophic. We really hope that this will change and that everyone will mobilise to vote... and vote for the right side."
But hitting back against the footballer in an interview with CNN, the National Assembly (RN) figurehead said: "French people are fed up of being lectured and advised on how to vote.
"Mbappé doesn’t represent French people with an immigration background, because there are far more of them living on the minimum wage, who can’t afford housing and can’t afford heating, than people like Mbappé."
In a separate interview, she added: "I think that Mbappé is a very good football player. But this tendency for actors, football players and singers to come forward and tell the French people how they should vote, and in particular people who earn €1,300- €1,400 [£1,099-£1,184] per month, while they are millionaires, even billionaires, who live abroad, this is starting to be badly received, in our country."
Sebastien Chenu, the RN’s vice-president said in a separate interview: "When you have the chance, the honour, of wearing the jersey of the French team, you have to show a little restraint."
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Sebastien Chenu
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President of RN Jordan Bardella added: "I have a lot of respect for our footballers, whether Marcus Thuram or Kylian Mbappé, who are icons of football and icons for youth...But we must respect the French, we must respect everyone's vote."
Mbappé said: "[I am] against extreme views and against ideas that divide people. I want to be proud to represent France, I don't want to represent a country that doesn't correspond to my values, or our values."
Bardella's eurosceptic, anti-immigration party has its first real chance of winning national power in the June 30 and July 7 ballot. Opinion polls have consistently placed the RN first since President Emmanuel Macron's shock decision this month to dissolve parliament.
Meanwhile, French Football Federation President Philippe Diallo told a press conference at the team's camp in Germany that players were free to express their opinions. He urged political parties not to use these comments to their benefit.
Jordan Bardella
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Le Pen added: "These are people who are lucky enough to live comfortably, very comfortably, who are protected from insecurity, poverty, unemployment and everything that affects and makes our compatriots suffer.
"At a time when the population is preparing to vote, they should show a bit of restraint.
"This election is an election of emancipation, seen as a way for the French people to take back control of their destiny and vote as they see fit."
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