In a rare intersection of soccer and politics, French winger Ousmane Dembélé has urged his fellow citizens to participate in the national elections unexpectedly called by President Emmanuel Macron, even as the country’s national team competes in the Euro 2024 tournament.
Speaking from the team’s training camp, the Paris Saint-Germain star expressed concern over the low voter turnout predicted by TV news broadcasts. “I think the alarm bell has been sounded,” Dembélé said. “I think we need to mobilize ourselves to vote, all together.”
President Macron surprised the nation on Sunday evening by calling for national assembly elections in response to a surge in support for far-right opponents in the recent European parliamentary elections. The two rounds of French elections are scheduled for June 30 and July 7, which could potentially coincide with France’s matches in the round of 16 and quarterfinals of the Euro 2024 tournament, where they are widely expected to perform well.
The French national team has long been celebrated as a model of diversity and unity, particularly following their Euro 2000 title win and their first World Cup victory in 1998. The mix of “Black, Blanc, Beur” (Black, white, and Arab) players in the team has been seen as a reflection of the French tricolor flag and the country’s multicultural identity.
To ensure that players and officials can exercise their right to vote while in Germany for the tournament, Dembélé revealed that the French soccer federation is setting up a system for proxy voting.
France, drawn in Group D, will begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Austria on Monday, with matches against the Netherlands and Poland to follow.
As the country grapples with a politically charged atmosphere, Dembélé’s call for citizens to engage in the democratic process serves as a reminder of the power and influence that prominent athletes can wield beyond the confines of the soccer pitch. His message underscores the importance of participation and unity, values that have long been associated with the French national team.
While the focus for Dembélé and his teammates will undoubtedly be on their performance in the highly anticipated tournament, the elections back home are sure to be on the minds of many French citizens, both on and off the field.
Credit: AP
