the French team caught up in the challenge of the legislative elections

Since the preparation match against Luxembourg on Wednesday June 5, elections have become part of the daily life of the France team. More or less skillfully, the players questioned on this subject at the press conference kicked in. Last week, Eduardo Camavinga assumed “not having thought” to the Europeans, which were held a few days later. “I prefer to talk about football”dodged Dayot Upamecano, Wednesday June 12, while the country will very soon return to the polls for early legislative elections. “We said among ourselves that we have a competition to prepare for (…). We try to keep our concentration and not talk politics”Kingsley Coman had previously argued.

With his usual lightness, Ousmane Dembélé stood out from his teammates and kicked the anthill on Thursday, when it was his turn to speak on the ballot, the first round of which will take place on June 30, in the middle of Euro 2024: “I saw on the 1 p.m. news that one in two French people do not vote. I think we need to mobilize to go and vote. »

Because the far right, with the National Rally (RN), could come to power. “The alarm bells have been sounded”, recognized the Paris Saint-Germain winger, who however avoided any voting instructions. The step has never been taken by the Tricolores and it is unlikely that that will change during this tournament. The subject of electoral issues would undoubtedly not have pierced the bubble surrounding the Blues without the insistence of journalists.

Take action on certain current issues

A quick survey of those around them shows that most players stay away from politics. “He is very far from these concerns”the relative of a defender tells us, a trend reinforced by the fact that he has been playing abroad for several years. “I let him live his Euro in peace”slides the advisor of an attacker on his side.

The generation that makes up the current French team has, however, proven in the past its ability to mobilize on certain current issues. Recently, Ousmane Dembélé, Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé and Marcus Thuram relayed messages of support to the civilian populations victims of the bombings in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. The first three cited also shared an awareness campaign denouncing the violence that has lasted for years in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A year ago, after the death of young Nahel in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), several Tricolores criticized police violence, including Kylian Mbappé. “I feel bad for my France. An unacceptable situation”had written the captain of the Blues on his X account. Each time, these positions had taken place outside of the France team’s gathering periods.

Since their arrival in Clairefontaine (Yvelines) on May 29, the players have been more discreet to remain focused on preparing for the continental tournament. Everyone has in mind the example of the German selection, eliminated in the first round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Many observers then estimated that the Mannschaft, keen to denounce human rights violations in the emirate, had focused too much on extra-sporting matters, to the detriment of the field.

The opportunity to make a proxy on Sunday

The Blues will nevertheless have the possibility of fulfilling their duty as citizens, by voting by proxy. A member of the French team staff recalls that when elections take place, such a system is invariably put in place at Clairefontaine. “What is exceptional is the dissolution [de l’Assemblée nationale] », he adds. The national football federation was therefore forced to organize itself to find a similar solution in Germany, in the middle of the Euro.

In fact, players will be able to request their proxy on Sunday, the day before they enter the competition against Austria. According to our information, members of the French consulate in Düsseldorf will come and collect them during the Blues’ visit to this city, where the match will be played.

Mohamed Sanhadji, officer in charge of security for the French team since 2004 and a police officer, is at the origin of these steps and all those put in place when Blues rallies and ballots collide. Once the proxies have been registered, Didier Deschamps’ men will only have one thing in mind: making a successful debut in this Euro.

But the issue of the political situation in France and their positioning could come back on the table during the competition, as the calendar of the electoral campaign and that of their campaign in Germany overlap.