Their political stance is usually rare, if not non-existent. But since Sunday June 9 and the announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly by Emmanuel Macron, more and more influencers are getting involved in the campaign. Some are trying to motivate their subscribers to exercise their right to vote on June 30 and July 7. Others are positioning themselves very clearly against the National Rally of Jordan Bardella, which came well ahead of the European elections.
Squeezie, the second most followed YouTuber in France with 19 million subscribers, warned against “a drastic rise of the extreme right” and called on “the young people who follow him” to vote in the legislative elections, in an open letter posted on Instagram on Friday. “Go vote on June 30 and July 7, and keep in mind that voting for a party that advocates hatred, discrimination, and fear of others has never been a solution,” he wrote .
Lucas Hauchard, his real name, is usually very discreet in politics. “I never wanted to talk to you about politics […] because everyone is the master of their convictions and I do not want mine to influence yours”, he explains. “But I think that firmly opposing an extreme ideology which advocates hatred and discrimination goes beyond of any political position.” Other influencers relayed it, such as the videographers Cyprien and Sofyan, respectively 14.5 and 2.2 million subscribers on YouTube.
Bardella’s response
Jordan Bardella did not fail to respond to him. “I discovered Squeezie’s open letter aimed at young people. For several hours, multimillionaires responding to the very noble profession of influencer have been engaging ‘apolitically’ against millions of French people,” he said in annoyance. publication on the same social network.
Léna Mahouf, better known by her stage name Léna Situations, influencer with 4.6 million subscribers, also clarified her thoughts and urged a vote against the RN. “I know it’s annoying to wake up on a Sunday during the holidays but it’s SO important that young people go and vote. We have real power to change our future.” And added, a few days later: “Vote and tell your loved ones to go and vote. Against the extreme right, against xenophobia, against intolerance.” Same call from Mister V – Yvick Letexier – in a message on social networks: “I invite you all to read this post. And everyone, go vote on June 30 and July 7. (And of course, not for fafs de me*de)”, in reference to far-right activists.
Educational content and encouragement to vote
The first French YouTuber, with 19.9 million subscribers, Tibo InShape, regularly accused of promoting conservative or even far-right positions, asked his 1.3 million subscribers on and to listen to each other to try to understand each other, to evolve and to move towards a more tolerant and caring world. In his message, Tibo Inshape also wanted to remind “that voting is a free, personal and anonymous right and duty”.
A group of influencers has also been formed to create and share political content ahead of the elections. Educational content aimed primarily at those under 25, the age group that turned out least to the polls for the European elections.
The initiative is coordinated by the engaged influencer agency Perrineam. The idea is to bring together “content creators who want to talk about politics” but “do not feel legitimate to do so” and wish to “block” the far right, explained the founder of the agency. , Perrine Bon, with BFMTV. Thursday June 13, around sixty of them co-signed a column published in The New Obs warning against “the accession of the extreme right to power”. Among the signatories, the videographers Manon Bril and Hugo Tout Seul, the artist Math C. and the singer Pomme.