The Liverpool FC player had called for an end to ‘prejudice and stereotypes’ during the election campaign
Ibrahima Konate has spoken out about the state of French politics(Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Liverpool FC defender Ibrahima Konate has sent a message in the wake of the French elections.
The Frenchman joined his international teammates Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Thuram last month in warning against voting for the far right National Rally in elections for the French national assembly. The National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, won in the first round of the snap elections last month but the party has garnered controversy due to its anti-immigration policies.
Sharing his views on the situation last month, the 25 year-old said: “Of course what is happening in France worries me. “We can’t leave power in the hands of people who want to divide people.
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“Diversity is France’s strength. I come from an immigrant family. Prejudice and stereotypes have to stop, we all have to be together in all circumstances.
“I’m saddened by the ban on wearing the veil in the public space. You never hear from the people affected by these issues…You have to look beyond appearances, beyond skin colour, you have to go and meet the other person. You can’t make a jigsaw puzzle with just the same pieces, you need diversity, and different pieces to build something solid.
“There’s always a minority who will harm the majority. My parents have (had) jobs as cleaning ladies, and binmen, with impossible working hours, and when I see that we don’t highlight these kinds of people who have given their health for France, it saddens me. I encourage everyone to go and vote, I know it’s a personal choice, I don’t tell people what to vote for, but we have to be together in all circumstances. Life is short, it’s beautiful and we have to enjoy it and be together and not be divisive.”
The National Rally was widely predicted to triumph again in the second round of voting. However, numerous projections after the polls closed tonight claim that the National Rally and its allies have been pushed into third place with around 132-152 seats.
The left-green New Popular Front alliance is set to win between 172-192 seats, with President Emmanuel Macron’s allies on 150-170.
The projections were released at 7pm as the polls closed. Six minutes later, via X/Twitter, Konate posted two emojis of the French flag with two roadblocks, followed by the hand clap emoji.
The post has received thousands of likes and retweets. He has also shared the same message on his Instagram story.
Konate will likely be on the bench when France face Spain in the semi-finals of the Euros next week. The winner of the game will play either England or The Netherlands in the final next Sunday.
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