CNN
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France’s most-streamed singer Aya Nakamura has joined the chorus of voices calling on French voters to vote against the far right in Sunday’s crucial election.
The Rassemblement National party, which is expected to win a clear victory in Sunday’s second round of voting, has drawn criticism and concern from French celebrities with dual nationality who worry about the impact of its immigration policies. The party, led by 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, wants to block dual nationals from certain state jobs. It also wants to strip people born to foreign parents on French soil of their citizenship.
Pop star Nakamura, who immigrated to France from Mali as a child and rose to fame with her smash hit “Djadja,” made this call on Tuesday in a social media post in which she particularly addressed her own experiences with racism in France.
The 29-year-old explained in her post that she was “in a good position to understand and know the significance of racism in our country.”
Nakamura said that although she had previously chosen not to comment on certain issues, she now realizes that her role as a major musician requires her to “speak out” at such an “important moment.”
She called on her fans to vote against “the only extreme that is to be condemned,” apparently a reference to the far right.
In another post, Nakamura directly referred to the Rassemblement National, saying, “Fuck the Rassemblement National.” Nakamura later deleted the post, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.
For Nakamura herself, threats from the right are nothing new. Earlier this year, she was at the centre of controversy when speculation grew that she would sing the classic French song “Je ne regrette rien” at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Far-right fringe groups and politicians, including Marion Maréchal, a far-right MP and niece of Marine Le Pen, complained that Nakamura does not even “sing in French.” This dig was apparently a reference to the mix of French and African slang that Nakamura uses in her lyrics.
France’s biggest sports stars are also using their platforms to urge the public not to vote for the far right. Jules Kounde, a 25-year-old Frenchman from Benin who plays for the French national team, used a press conference during the European Championships to set out his own “political position”.
“I was disappointed with the direction France is taking, with strong support for a party that is against our values,” Kounde told reporters after the France-Belgium match on Monday. “I believe it is important to block the far right, the Rassemblement National, because this party will not lead our country towards more freedom.”
Kounde’s comments are similar to those of fellow footballer Kylian Mbappé, who told reporters at the start of the tournament that he was “against extremes”. Mbappé, whose family is originally from Algeria and Cameroon, stressed that he did not want to “represent a country” that did not embody his “values”.
The strong performance of the French far right in the first round has raised concerns in several European countries and even among senior UN officials. UN human rights chief Volker Turk told a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday that the recent successes of the far right across Europe should be a “warning signal”.
