Valérie Pécresse will be present at the Stade de France

The presidential stand at the Stade de France will be particularly full Thursday evening, for the France-Israel match, as part of the League of Nations. Guest on BFMTV, Valérie Pécresse announced her presence in the stands. “I will be there because I was upset and shocked, like many French people, by the images of this unbridled anti-Semitism which manifested itself in Amsterdam against Israeli supporters”she said, in reference to the attacks on several Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters last week in the Dutch capital.

“The Republic cannot be intimidated”she continued, calling for sport to be separated from politics. “This is a sporting event and sport must be protected from geopolitics”she believes. As president of the region where the meeting will take place, Valérie Pécresse was keen to emphasize that in Île-de-France “supporters are welcomed and protected”. And this, despite the call from the Israeli authorities not to go to the French capital.

Several political leaders will be present Thursday evening at the Stade de France, starting with Emmanuel Macron. With his arrival, the President of the Republic seeks to “send a message of fraternity and solidarity after intolerable anti-Semitic acts”according to the Élysée. Prime Minister Michel Barnier will also be present, as well as former heads of state François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. At the microphone of RMC, the latter affirmed that “in the French Republic, the Israeli team is welcome” and that “We must never give in to those who want to reign in terror”.