In Paris, the qualification of the Blues for the Euro does not obscure the success of the RN in the first round of the legislative elections

A light shines in the shadow of an average performance and a heavy context. In the 85th minute, the French team’s striker Randal Kolo Muani catapults a shot whose trajectory is deflected by the Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen. The ball dies in the net. The Blues are heading to the quarter-finals of the European Championship. Cries of joy. Relief. So many feelings that can be read on the faces of the French supporters present, Monday, July 1, 2024, at the Café populaire, a bar located in the Oberkampf district, in the heart of the 11th arrondissement.

“The cold shower”

A few minutes earlier, however, the faces were not so radiant. The day after the first round of the early legislative elections, marked by the domination of the National Rally on a national scale, this district in eastern Paris expressed its discontent. “It’s a cold shower,” laments Anthony, 32, with an elegantly trimmed beard.

In the two constituencies of the district, the outgoing deputies of the New Popular Front, the socialist Emmanuel Grégoire and the rebellious Sofia Chikirou, were re-elected to their positions.

On the other hand, the weight of the RN, represented by two candidates, remains marginal, despite a slight progression. The electoral map of this territory is very far from that of mainland France, where a third of voters cast a ballot for the far-right party.

The situation saddens some. “It depresses me,” confides Christophe, 52. Especially since, according to him, football is not the kind of game that heals wounds. “Deep down, it’s still nationalism. It won’t change anything.” Sitting at the corner of the bar, grabbing a glass of spirits, Virgil, 44, hums a similar refrain.

“If France wins the Euro, it could soothe for two hours. But afterwards… I don’t see how it can deeply cure the ills.”

In this confused situation, the intervention of the athletes provokes approving comments. “Fortunately, some players are speaking out to show their opposition to the National Rally,” explains Christophe. An opinion that refers to the statements of several French internationals, including the star Kylian Mbappé, who had taken a stand against the “extremists”, but also of the striker Marcus Thuram.

A future tinged with uncertainty

A few meters away, at the La Place verte café, a handful of high school students applaud this commitment. “It’s positive that athletes, but also influencers, set an example,” says a 17-year-old teenager, surrounded by his friends, some of whom are wearing a French team jersey. “Everyone is tense at the moment. We need to get together to experience positive emotions,” adds another teenager.

As the French team continues its path to win the third Euro in its history, voters will be called to the polls again on Sunday, July 7, for the second round of the legislative elections. In both cases, uncertainty remains the only tangible element.

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