France’s Best Argument Against Racism Isn’t Working
The country’s most beloved men are paragons of diversity, but ethnic resentment is still winning.
TL;DR
- Kylian Mbappé and Victor Wembanyama are France's most celebrated male figures, embodying the nation's growing diversity.
- Their success is contrasted with the rise of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, which promotes a racially restrictive notion of Frenchness.
- Historical moments, like the 1998 and 2018 World Cup wins, initially suggested greater embrace of a multiracial France, but political shifts show otherwise.
- Despite their popularity, athletes like Mbappé and Wembanyama cannot single-handedly legitimize a multicultural society.
- The article posits that addressing material outcomes and managing demographic change through effective leadership is crucial for genuine progress beyond cultural representation.