A member of the French army (illustration). – Guillaume SOUVANT-POOL / SIPA
Current values continues to be the mouthpiece of a discontented part of the army. After a controversial first text, some of whose signatories are threatened with sanctions, the weekly published on Sunday evening a new military column “for the survival of our country”. Unlike the previous text, this time it is launched by active soldiers and open for signatures.
The grandstand displayed more than 95,000 signatures on the counter shortly after 4:30 a.m. The authors say they have “recently entered the career” and specify that they cannot “legally” express themselves “with their face uncovered”.
“The generation of fire”
“Take action, ladies and gentlemen. This time, it is not about custom emotion, ready-made formulas or media coverage. It is not a question of extending your mandates or conquering others. It is about the survival of our country, of your country ”, write the authors in this text addressed to Emmanuel Macron, to ministers, parliamentarians and general officers. “We are from what the newspapers have called ‘the fire generation’. Men and women, active soldiers, of all armies and of all ranks, of all sensibilities, we love our country. These are our only claims to fame, ”they write to introduce themselves.
“Afghanistan, Mali, Central African Republic or elsewhere, a number of us have experienced enemy fire. Some have left comrades there. They offered their skin to destroy Islamism to which you are making concessions on our soil, ”say the authors. “Almost all of us have known Operation Sentinel. We saw with our own eyes the abandoned suburbs, the accommodation with delinquency. We have endured the attempts to instrumentalize several religious communities, for whom France means nothing – nothing but an object of sarcasm, contempt and even hatred ”.
A lively controversy
Current values had published on April 21 a shocking column in which “twenty generals, a hundred high-ranking officers and more than a thousand other soldiers”, called on President Emmanuel Macron to defend patriotism, and said they were “prepared to support policies which will take into consideration the safeguard of the nation ”. This text triggered a lively controversy in the political class, some denouncing a quasi-call for insurrection when others greeted a salutary start. Seized by parliamentarians from rebellious France, the Paris prosecutor Rémy Heitz rejected the request to initiate proceedings against the authors and broadcasters of the platform because “no criminal offense” appears there.