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The platform of former soldiers against the "disintegration" of France ignites the political debate

2021-04-28T08:54:20.150Z


While Marine Le Pen invited the signatories of the text to join her, Minister Florence Parly denounces an “irresponsible” politicization of the armies. Soldiers could be sanctioned.


The platform could have gone unnoticed. Signed by about twenty retired soldiers and published last week in

Current values

, the text is alarmed at the "

disintegration

" of France and the "

risk of civil war

" which could lead, according to them, to "

the intervention of [their] active comrades

”to defend the“

civilizational values

”of France. The officers, including the former officer and responsible for the site "Place d'Armes" Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac who signs it first, denounce "

a certain anti-racism

" which seeks only to create "

a malaise on our sol

","

Islamism

Which feeds separatism, "

hatred

" and the use of force against the yellow vests.

"

The hour is serious, the work is colossal

", assure the authors who claim to be supported by a hundred officers and thousands of soldiers.

They challenge the country's leaders one year before the presidential election.

"

Do not waste time and know that we are ready to support policies which will take into consideration the safeguard of the nation

», They say in this forum of April 21, that is to say nineteen years after the accession to the second round of the election of Jean-Marie Le Pen and sixty years after the attempted putsch of the generals who protested against the policy of General De Gaulle in Algeria.

If most of the signatories are unknown, a few gravitate towards the extreme right, in particular General Piquemal whose name appears in the foreground of the supporters.

He had been removed from army officials for having organized a demonstration against immigration in 2016.

"Wanting to politicize the military is to insult their mission"

Florence Parly, in Liberation

The text echoed and caused a stir. Seizing the ball, the president of the National Rally Marine Le Pen praised their initiative. "

I invite you to join our action to take part in the battle which is opening (…) which is above all the battle for France

", declared the candidate in a response published by the weekly. “

As a citizen and as a politician, I subscribe to your analyzes and share your grief,

” she added, arousing the ire of the left from Jean-Luc Mélenchon to Benoît Hamon. They denounced the veiled call for a coup and the silence of the government. On the left, the denunciation of authoritarian abuses in all their forms has become like a reflex.

The political terrain is flammable and the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly reacted on Monday in a text published in Liberation. She is offended to see the president of the RN forget the principle of the neutrality of the armies. "

What call are the armies responding to?" To that of the nation,

”explains Florence Parly. “

What Madame Le Pen should be reminded of is that the armies are not a political party. The soldiers are not there to campaign,

”she continues before attacking the signatories of the platform. "

Who are these retired generals who claim to defend France while they fan the flames of hatred?"

», She asks. "

They only represent themselves

", continues the minister: "

Wanting to politicize the military is to insult their mission,

”she said, describing the approach as irresponsible. Since the Algerian war, the military institution has kept itself away from political quarrels. At the Ministry of the Armed Forces, we are analyzing the list of signatories. If active soldiers appear there, they will be punished, it is said.

If the health crisis still occupies the political space, the pre-campaign has begun. In the camp of the head of state Emmanuel Macron, there was no question of leaving his opponents a sovereign field. The president is constitutionally the chief of the armies. But the military institution today enjoys a power of attraction / repulsion that some candidates might want to use. In a country crossed by a divide in authority, the figure of the soldier appears as a landmark. Last year the success of the bookstore of General de Villiers' latest book raised questions about a presidential candidacy. Within the armies, we hardly believe in it. But Emmanuel Macron also tarnished his image at the start of his five-year term by brutally ousting his former head ofStaff. Be that as it may, there is no question of letting the idea, even in its infancy, that a solution to the political crisis be found somewhere within the military institution take hold.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-04-28

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