![France star Kounde calls on voters to block far right in elections](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/19/2b/78/France-star-Kounde-calls-on-voters--812471.jpg)
-
Messi a doubt for Argentina ahead of Copa quarter-final
-
British tennis ace Raducanu votes for 'lie-in' on election day
-
France film director Jacquot charged with raping two actors
-
Israel 'evaluating' new Hamas 'ideas' on halting Gaza war
-
Venezuela, US agree to 'improve relations,' says Caracas
-
Under-fire Kenya govt says to review state salary hikes
-
Thousands told to flee raging California wildfire
-
Osaka focuses on Olympics after Wimbledon KO
-
Tens of thousands flee south Gaza as tensions soar
-
US Fed officials stressed 'patience' on rate cuts: minutes
-
Blond not bombs as Fognini learns to love Wimbledon
-
New lithium plant inaugurated in Argentina
-
Threads hits 175 mn users on first anniversary
-
French court says Netflix shark hit can keep streaming in copycat row
-
Comeback king 'Cav' to carry on doing the thing he loves
-
Alcaraz marches on at Wimbledon as Osaka returns to Centre Court
-
Biden under pressure as Democratic panic rises
-
Belarus frees 'some political prisoners': exiled opposition leader
-
Alcaraz coasts into Wimbledon third round
-
Cavendish makes Tour de France history with 35th stage win
-
Everton sign forward Ndiaye from Marseille
-
Bailed Indian opposition leader to return as chief minister
-
World's oldest artwork discovered in Indonesian cave
-
Toney urges England to kick on after Euros reprieve
-
Murray teams up with Raducanu in Wimbledon mixed doubles
-
Former England rugby coach Jack Rowell dies aged 87
-
Hurricane Beryl bears down on Jamaica
-
US trade deficit expands less than expected in May: govt
-
'The god took away my son': Indians grieve after deadly stampede
-
Moscow hit by heat not seen in over a century
-
US private hiring eases unexpectedly in June: ADP
-
Confident Kroos says Germany-Spain clash 'won't be my last game'
-
Paris bars to open 24h for Olympics opening ceremony
-
Putin, Xi vie for influence at Central Asian summit
-
Germany, Sweden arrest eight over Syria crimes against humanity
-
French giant Mpetshi Perricard joins Wimbledon heavy artillery
-
Two-time Major winner Langer to make 'emotional' European Tour bow
-
French PM urges united front to stop far-right takeover
-
Olympic silver medallist gymnast Poujade dies at 51
-
Bhole Baba: preacher at centre of Indian stampede disaster
-
Microsoft to invest 2.2 bn euros in Spain data centres
-
Showdowns, young guns and own goals as Euro 2024 head into quarter-finals
-
Russia advances in east, kills five in Dnipro strikes
-
France prosecutors request rape charges against film director
-
Schumacher blackmail suspects had 'family photos'
-
EU clears Lufthansa's proposed ITA Airways stake, with conditions
-
Indian World Cup winners head home after hurricane delay
-
120,000 'stolen' babies: Georgia's trafficking scandal
-
Only far right can win absolute majority, French PM warns
-
Turkey ride 'best save' and wave of emotion into Euros quarters
![France star Kounde calls on voters to block far right in elections](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/19/2b/78/France-star-Kounde-calls-on-voters--812471.jpg)
France star Kounde calls on voters to block far right in elections
France's Euro 2024 star Jules Kounde called on voters in the country to block the far-right National Rally party from winning a majority in the snap parliamentary elections, ahead of the second round of voting next weekend.
The National Rally (RN) came out on top in the first round of voting on Sunday with 33 percent of the vote, raising the prospect that they might take control of government.
That has left the centrist camp of President Emmanuel Macron and a left-wing alliance scrambling to stop such an outcome.
"Obviously I was disappointed to see the direction our country is taking with a big level of support for a party that is against our values of unity and respect, and that wants to divide the French people," Kounde, the 25-year-old Barcelona defender, said.
"But there is a second round to come, nothing is decided yet, and I think it will be important to block the far right and the National Rally," he added after France beat Belgium 1-0 in Duesseldorf to reach the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
"They will not lead our country to more liberty and unity. That is my position."
Kounde, who had already expressed such a view on social media ahead of the first round, is one of several France players to have spoken out against the far-right during the tournament in Germany.
Marcus Thuram called ahead of the elections for people "to fight to stop the RN winning".
Captain Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni also positioned themselves against "extremes".
L.Mesquita--PC