MUNICH: Several France players are already celebrating something at the European Championship — the result of the elections back home.
A leftist coalition that came together to try to keep the far right from power in France won the most parliamentary seats in Sunday’s runoff parliamentary election.
“The victory of the People,” France midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The first-round vote on June 30 saw major gains for the National Rally, potentially putting the far right in a position to govern France for the first time since World War II.
“Congratulations to all those who came forward in the face of the danger that hovered over our country,” France forward Marcus Thuram put on his Instagram story, after a graphic of the projected outcome.
“Long live diversity, long live the Republic, long live France. The fight continues.”
Thuram had already spoken out last month about the “sad reality” of the political situation back home and France’s players have consistently been vocal at Euro 2024 with calls to get out to vote in parliamentary elections.
Captain Kylian Mbappe had warned that his country was in a “catastrophic” political situation.
“The relief is equal to the worry of these recent weeks, it is immense,” France defender Jules Kounde wrote on X.
“Congratulations to all the French people who mobilized so that this beautiful country that is France does not find itself governed by the extreme right.”
France plays Spain in the Euro 2024 semifinal in Munich on Tuesday, hoping to reach its fourth major final in the past eight years.
That would be against either England or the Netherlands in Berlin on Sunday.
France players celebrating election results back home ahead of Euro 2024 semifinal
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France players celebrating election results back home ahead of Euro 2024 semifinal
- Marcus Thuram: ‘Congratulations to all those who came forward in the face of the danger that hovered over our country’
- Jules Kounde: ‘Congratulations to all the French people who mobilized so that this beautiful country that is France does not find itself governed by the extreme right’
Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes Japan’s Chugoku region
- Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no irregularities at the plant
TOKYO: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 hit the western Chugoku region of Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, followed by a series of sizeable aftershocks.
The epicenter of the first earthquake was in eastern Shimane prefecture, the agency said, adding that there was no danger of a tsunami. Chugoku Electric Power operates the Shimane Nuclear Power Station, about 32 km (20 miles) away.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no irregularities at the plant.
A spokesperson said the utility was checking on any impact on the plant’s No.2 unit, which has been operating since December 2024 after being shut down following the March 2011 disasters in Fukushima.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas.
The earthquake had a seismic intensity of upper-5 on Japan’s 1-7 scale, strong enough to make movement difficult without support.
West Japan Railway said it had suspended Shinkansen bullet-train operations between Shin-Osaka and Hakata following the quake.
