Dozens of sports figures and cultural industry leaders have signed opinion pieces appearing in the French press this week calling on hesitant voters to throw their support behind incumbent President Emmanuel Macron as he prepares to face the run-off against Marine Le Pen. April 24.
About 50 sports personalities in France have signed an opinion piece published on Tuesday in Paris People’s Daily called for blocking the far-right candidate and voting for Emmanuel Macron.
Among the signatories were judo star Clarice Agbenio, handball player Nikola Karapatek, former basketball player Tony Parker, former swimmer Laure Manudo and former tennis player Yannick Noah.
“While we are well aware of the difficulties the French face at present, we are convinced that a vote for a party that endangers republican values would be the worst solution,” they wrote.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, won 23.15 percent of the vote after the first round on Sunday, behind Emmanuel Macron who got 27.85 percent.
Olympic values
“The kind of sport we believe in is an Olympic value, it is based on friendship and respect, it is a place for a mixed society. It rejects all discrimination,” the statement read.
“In these turbulent times, sport is a way to bring people together… Because of our belief in sport, which is fraternal and inclusive, we are determined to avoid having a president who advocates just the opposite – stigma, self-reliance and nationalism.”
Abstention processing
Meanwhile, a similar message came from about 100 culture industry leaders who signed an opinion piece Editing newspaper, published online Wednesday.
More than a hundred names appear on the list, including Jacques Lang, former culture minister and president of the Arab World Institute in Paris, Olivier B, director of the Avignon Festival, Stanislas Nordy, director of the Strasbourg National Theater and Eric Ruff of Comedian Frances.
They called on voters to choose Macron in the second round on April 24, and emphasized that abstaining from voting would only help Le Pen’s cause.
“This is not the first time that a far-right candidate has reached the second round. However, unlike in 2002 and 2017, the probability of Le Pen winning this time is higher,” the statement read.
“That is why on April 24 we will vote for Emmanuel Macron and call on all those who are tempted to abstain to do the same.”
common world
She added that it is not only about the world of art and culture, but also the art of living together and the culture of a common world.
He concludes, “The world that Marine Le Pen wants is one of national preference, discrimination, and xenophobia disguised as constitutional principles…and the rejection of any form of diversity and hospitality.”
Both candidates are back on the campaign trail again, intent on making up for the large number of voters on the left side of the spectrum who voted Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round.
On Wednesday, Macron held a cabinet meeting, and will be interviewed on TF1 TV in the evening, while Le Pen has spent time in Asnières-sur-Seine, a working-class suburb north of Paris, and will hold an afternoon press conference on the topics. Diplomacy and foreign policy.
