Reagrupement National, party of the French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, labeled former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy as “racist” on Monday for his comments that the French national football team has “a very high level, that is true, but without French players,” emphasizing that these are comments that “everyone should condemn.”
“Mr. Rajoy is a racist. Simply put, his statements are scandalous, shameful, and regrettable. Everyone should condemn them,” said Julien Odoul, a deputy in the French National Assembly and spokesperson for Le Pen’s party, in an interview with France Info.
It is striking that the criticisms from the French far-right are implicitly shared by the Spanish far-right. Neither Vox spokesperson José Antonio Juster nor its secretary general, Ignacio Garriga, came out in defense of Rajoy this morning.
Odoul’s statements add to those of various members of the French government, including the French Foreign Minister, Jean Nöel Barrot, who said in his opinion, “Those statements are pathetic. Once and for all, France has no skin color. Any claim to the contrary is the result of stupidity, racism, or a combination of both,” said the French Foreign Minister in statements to BFMTV regarding the controversy created by the former Spanish leader.
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Barrot attributed these statements to “stupidity, mediocrity, and racism” and, on the other hand, defended that the French football team represents “the best face” of the country.
The former Spanish leader’s comments have provoked a strong reaction from the French government since Sunday, which labeled these words as “absolutely unacceptable.” In addition to criticism from the French Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, and the Minister for Overseas Territories, Naïma Moutchou, the French Embassy in Spain also reminded that “of the 26 players, 23 were born in France.”
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