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Generals warned Emmanuel Macron that France was heading for a civil war. PHOTO: Reuters
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Generals warn of invading Islamism and suburban hordes, plunging the country into chaos and violence
Some see the messages as a call for a coup, others as far-right machinations ahead of the presidential election
Two letters from the French military warning that France was on the brink of civil war appeared three weeks apart and shook political life a year before the country’s presidential election.
“Civil war is raging in France,” “hatred of France has become the norm,” “decline precedes rebellion” are just some of the reasons in a letter published last Sunday on the website of the far-right weekly Vallor Actuel. The anonymous authors, presented as active-duty servicemen, spoke in support of the group of reserve generals, which published a message with similar content at the end of April.
And their letter appeared in the internet media of the far right, which made Prime Minister Jean Castex talk about a directed political campaign of this force. “This is a political tribune of the far right, let’s call a spade a spade,” Castex said. He called on those who wrote the next letter to identify themselves, while at the same time saying that he had full confidence in the French army.
Both documents describe as explosive the situation in the suburbs of big cities, the rise of Islamism, “chaos and violence”, which will bring about the “collapse of France”. The letter at the end of April under which they were
signed about
1000 military,
among which
20 generals
from the reserve, caused political turmoil, especially after the leader of the far-right National Assembly, Marine Le Pen, called on its authors to join it. In next year’s presidential election, she will face current head of state Emmanuel Macron, hoping to defeat him.
It was the first letter that caused a real shock in the country. In it, the authors describe the creation of
enclaves of
the territory
of France,
where the laws
do not apply
They spoke of “unbridled hordes from the suburbs” and called on French leaders to prevent a racial war. If the authorities do not do this, “our current comrades will intervene and will have to take on the dangerous mission of saving our compatriots and our values.” The outbreak of civil war will result in thousands of casualties, the letter said.
The generals warned President Emmanuel Macron that they were ready to serve “anyone who will defend the interests of the French nation.”
“The time has come, France is in danger, it is in mortal danger. Remember that, like us, the vast majority of our fellow citizens are shocked by your indecision and criminal silence, “the letter continued. Media and analysts saw in this a call for a military coup.
Emmanuel Macron himself compared the letter to the failed French military coup in Algeria in 1961. It was published on April 21, the exact date of the coup attempt by four French generals opposing Algeria’s independence.
60 years later
in the beginning of
the Algerian coup
20 generals
threaten
the republic
openly with a military coup, exclaimed the representative of the socialist opposition Benoit Amon on Twitter.
Defense Minister Florence Parley and French Armed Forces Chief of Staff Francois Lecointre have called for immediate sanctions against the military. Lecointre recalled that the apolitical nature of the army is a fundamental principle. He called on the anonymous authors of the new message to submit reports and leave on their own, as this would allow them to express their political positions freely. Parley said the military has always been guided by two unshakable principles – neutrality and loyalty.
“Whoever considers himself brave gives his name,” French Interior Minister Gerard Darmanen said in a TV interview. He called the letters, which came out weeks before the regional elections and a year before the presidential elections, a “fat maneuver”.
The military says they are active and therefore do not come out with their names because they will be punished. However, they mentioned that most of them had participated in missions in Afghanistan, Mali and the Central African Republic. They explain that they cannot show their faces, but they cannot remain silent. How many they are is also not clear. Their letter, which is in the form of an open civil subscription,
only for hours
was supported
of over 170,000
the French
A survey showed that 58% of respondents are in solidarity with the ideas launched in the messages.
It has been no secret for years that France has problems with radical Islam. Public intolerance intensified especially after the brutal murder of teacher Samuel Patti, who was beheaded by an Islamist on the streets of Paris because he showed his students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
Last December, France even passed a special law to fight radical Islam. However, according to analysts, the military’s letters only add fuel to the fire of public opposition, and their language is provocative, scandalous and does not do honor to the epaulets.
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