'Civil war is brewing': Serving French soldiers send Macron another chilling warning following earlier letter from retired generals calling for military action against 'Islamists'

  • Open letter by a group of serving French soldiers published late on Sunday
  • Soldiers warn Macron that the 'survival' of France is at stake after he made 'concessions' to Islamism
  • It echoes the tone of a similar letter printed last month which warned of civil war 

A group of serving French soldiers have published a new open letter warning Emmanuel Macron that the 'survival' of France is at stake after the President made 'concessions' to Islamism. 

The letter published in the right-wing magazine Valeurs Actuelles (Today's Values) late on Sunday echoes the tone of a similar letter printed in the same magazine last month which also warned a civil war was brewing and called for military action against 'Islamists'.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, a close ally of Macron, slammed the letter as a 'crude maneouvre' and accused its anonymous signatories of lacking 'courage'.  

The previous letter, signed by 1,000 people including serving officers and some 20 semi-retired generals, warned of the 'disintegration' of France because of radical Islamic 'hordes' living in the suburbs.

A group of serving French soldiers have published a new open letter warning Emmanuel Macron (pictured yesterday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg) that the 'survival' of France is at stake after the President made 'concessions' to Islamism

A group of serving French soldiers have published a new open letter warning Emmanuel Macron (pictured yesterday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg) that the 'survival' of France is at stake after the President made 'concessions' to Islamism

The explosive letter sparked a furore in France, with Prime Minister Jean Castex called the letter an unacceptable interference while France's top general vowed that those behind it would be punished for the 'absolutely revolting' letter.

It is not clear how many people are behind the current letter or what their ranks are - and their anonymity is likely to due to the backlash faced by the authors of the previous letter, with 18 officers who signed the letter facing disciplinary action.     

In contrast to the previous letter, it is also open to be signed by the public, with Valeurs Actuelles saying more than 93,000 had done so by Monday morning.

'We are not talking about extending your mandates or conquering others. We are talking about the survival of our country, the survival of your country,' said the letter, which was addressed to Macron and his cabinet.

The authors described themselves as active-duty soldiers from the younger generation of the military, a so-called 'generation of fire' that had seen active service.

'They have offered up their lives to destroy the Islamism that you have made concessions to on our soil.'

Chief of France's Defence Staff General François Lecointre condemned those who signed the letter last month, calling it 'absolutely revolting' (Lecointre is pictured standing beside Emmanuel Macron in a car during Bastille Day ceremonies in July last year)

Chief of France's Defence Staff General François Lecointre condemned those who signed the letter last month, calling it 'absolutely revolting' (Lecointre is pictured standing beside Emmanuel Macron in a car during Bastille Day ceremonies in July last year)

They claimed also to have served in the Sentinelle security operation within France launched after a wave of jihadist attacks in 2015.

They observed that for some religious communities 'France means nothing but an object of sarcasm, contempt or even hatred'.

It added: 'If a civil war breaks out, the military will maintain order on its own soil... civil war is brewing in France and you know it perfectly well.' 

The letter comes in a febrile political atmosphere ahead of 2022 elections, when Macron's main challenger is expected to again be the far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Analysts say Macron has tacked to the right in recent months to prevent Le Pen from exploiting a series of attacks in late 2020 blamed on Islamist extremists who recently immigrated to France.

'I believe that when you are in the military you don't do this kind of thing in hiding,' Darmanin told BFM television. 'These people are anonymous. Is this courage? To be anonymous?'

Prime Minister Jean Castex had labelled the rare intervention in politics by military figures in last month's letter 'an initiative against all of our republican principles, of honour and the duty of the army'

Prime Minister Jean Castex had labelled the rare intervention in politics by military figures in last month's letter 'an initiative against all of our republican principles, of honour and the duty of the army'

Former president Francois Hollande weighed in on the debate, expressing bewilderment that such sentiments could be expressed by serving soldiers.

'How can we suggest that the army today could have such feelings and a desire to question the very principles of the Republic?' he told France Inter radio.

Prime Minister Jean Castex had labelled the rare intervention in politics by military figures in last month's letter 'an initiative against all of our republican principles, of honour and the duty of the army'.

France's armed forces chief of staff, General Francois Lecointre, said those who signed it would face punishments ranging from forced full retirement to disciplinary action for the 'absolutely revolving letter'.

Lecointre said: 'These general officers will each pass before a higher military council. At the end of this procedure, it is the President of the Republic who signs a decree expelling them'.

They will lose their pay and privileges as members of the reserve of senior officers, and won't be able to use their rank. 

And Florence Parly, the Defence Minister, said: 'This is unacceptable. There will be consequences, naturally.

The soldiers behind the letter were all said to be anti-immigration activists with racist views and strong ties to the far-Right Rassemblement National (National Rally).

The lead signatory was Christian Piquemal, 80, who commanded the French Foreign Legion before losing his privileges as a retired officer after being arrested while taking part in an anti-Islam demonstration in 2016.

Army Corps General Christian Piquemal, 80, was the lead signatory of the 20 retired generals who backed the letter. He is pictured at an anti-Islam rally in Calais in 2016.

Army Corps General Christian Piquemal, 80, was the lead signatory of the 20 retired generals who backed the letter. He is pictured at an anti-Islam rally in Calais in 2016.

Division General Emmanuel De Richoufftz during his visit to the central Ivory Coast area of Sakassou August 29, 2003. Gen. De Richoufftz was also among the 20 generals to sign the letter.

Division General Emmanuel De Richoufftz during his visit to the central Ivory Coast area of Sakassou August 29, 2003. Gen. De Richoufftz was also among the 20 generals to sign the letter.

But a majority of French voters last month said they agree with the generals who threatened a coup if Macron cannot prevent the rise of radical Islam, according to a poll.      

In signs of a deepening chasm between the president and the electorate, a poll published last month by news channel La Chaîne Info has found that 58 per cent supported the letter, while 42 per cent were opposed.

Among respondents who vote for Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (RN) party the proportion of those who supported the letter rose to 86 per cent.

Despite widespread condemnation, politicians on the right like Rachida Dati, mayor of the 7th arrondissement, continue to throw their support behind the signatories, who included 20 retired generals. 

'What is written in this letter is a reality,' Ms Dati told France Info radio last month. 'When you have a country plagued by urban guerrilla warfare, when you have a constant and high terrorist threat, when you have increasingly glaring and flagrant inequalities ... we cannot say that the country is doing well.'

Rachida Dati, mayor of Paris' 7th arrondissement, said that the concerns expressed in the letter to Emmanuel Macron were valid. Ms Dati told France Info radio: 'When you have a country plagued by urban guerrilla warfare, when you have a very regular and very high terrorist threat, when you have increasingly glaring and flagrant inequalities ... we cannot say that the country is doing well'

Rachida Dati, mayor of Paris' 7th arrondissement, said that the concerns expressed in the letter to Emmanuel Macron were valid. Ms Dati told France Info radio: 'When you have a country plagued by urban guerrilla warfare, when you have a very regular and very high terrorist threat, when you have increasingly glaring and flagrant inequalities ... we cannot say that the country is doing well'

Marine Le Pen, the Rassemblement National leader, welcomed the letter, which was first published last week in Valeurs Actuelle (Current Values) magazine.

'I invite you to join us in taking part in the coming battle, which is the battle of France,' Le Pen wrote in a response to the letter.

Le Pen, who would become head of France's Armed Forces if she replaces Macron as president next year, was widely criticised by her opponents on both the Left and Right for her words. 

France's current Fifth Republic has been threatened by military coups in the past, notably by far-Right activists who were eventually defeated as they tried to keep Algeria in the early 1960s.

There are some five million Muslims in France - the largest community of its kind in western Europe - and many have backgrounds in former colonies, such as Algeria.

The Rassemblement National used to be called the Front National (National Front), and was founded by Ms Le Pen's father, the convicted anti-Semite, racist and Islamophobe, Jean-Marie Le Pen. 

The generals calling for a coup d'état: Le Pen candidates, Yellow Vest activists and an 80-year-old who was arrested at anti-Islam rally in Calais

Christian Piquemal, stripped of his privileges by army chiefs

Piquemal, 80, a former general of the Foreign Legion, leads the signatories of the furious letter addressed to Emmanuel Macron.

He was stripped of his privileges as a retired officer after he was arrested at an anti-immigration rally in Calais in 2016.

Also in attendance were members of the anti-Islamic Pegida movement.

Christian Piquemal speaks at a rally in Calais in 2016. The rally was attended by Pegida, an anti-Islamic movement which originated in Germany

Christian Piquemal speaks at a rally in Calais in 2016. The rally was attended by Pegida, an anti-Islamic movement which originated in Germany

Piquemal denied knowledge that Pegida were also going to be there and denied his protest was racist. 

The general was said to have been the de-facto leader of the rally but was later acquitted by a judge, while others were handed fines. 

Piquemal, who retired in 2000, was stripped of his right to wear the uniform and lost his military officer's ID card. However, his rank was not withdrawn. 

Emmanuel de Richoufftz, 'general of the suburbs'

A graduate of the prestigious Saint-Cyr military school founded by Napoleon, de Richoufftz served as aide-de-camp to French Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy from 1981 to 1984.

He served in Iraq, Africa and Bosnia.

He is known as the 'general of the suburbs' after penning a book titled Another Late War in 1992.

Children celebrate the visit of French General Emmanuel De Richoufftz during his visit to the central Ivory Coast area of Sakassou in August, 2003

Children celebrate the visit of French General Emmanuel De Richoufftz during his visit to the central Ivory Coast area of Sakassou in August, 2003

The general sought to alert the public to 'real ghettos on the outskirts of cities', warning that intervention was needed to integrate disadvantaged young people.

He represented Marine Le Pen's National Rally party in local elections in Le Grau-du-Roi in 2019.

Last year he ditched Le Pen's party to join up with Debout la France ('France Arise'), a right-wing Euro-sceptic party.

Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac, former police chief and Yellow Vest activist

Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac, former police chief

Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac, former police chief

Fabre-Bernadac is the manager of the Place Armes website which is 'open to all retired, active, and reserve military personnel who love France and realise that France is on the brink.'

In 2018, he participated in Yellow Vest protests against Macron's government.

In a recent radio appearance, Fabre-Bernadac lamented the 'omerta' which hangs around the issue of immigration, claiming that murders and assaults perpetrated by migrants were not given media coverage.

He called it a 'terrible double standard.'

In another recent media appearance he said: 'The French do not trust politicians but they trust the army.' 

Antoine Martinez, former air force general

Martinez was also embroiled in the furore over the Calais rally organised by Piquemal in 2016.

He hosts the Volunteers for France website.

In a video filmed in November last year for the Volunteers for France Youtube channel, Martinez described how the coronavirus crisis masked what he believes is the more pressing matter of Islamic radicalisation. 

He wrote in an accompanying article: 'There is no point, in fact, to project our soldiers into external theatres to protect us, if our leaders give up, despite the evidence, to name the enemy, and to fight him on our soil.'  

Antoine Martinez, former air force general

Antoine Martinez, former air force general

Francois Gaubert, Le Pen ally

Francois Gaubert

Gaubert, 77, another graduate of the elite Saint-Cyr officer training college, spent four decades in the Navy on operations abroad, including in Africa, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in Berlin after the fall of the wall and in Sarajevo, at the end of the war in Bosnia.

He retired in 2002.

He joined Front National in December 2012 and was a candidate in council elections in Montpellier.

He was elected as a councillor in 2015.

Today he is National Rally councillor in Occitanie. 

The 20 generals:

Christian Piquemal, Gilles Barrie, François Gaubert, Emmanuel de Richoufftz, Michel Joslin de Noray, André Coustou, Philippe Desrousseaux de Medrano, Antoine Martinez, Daniel Grosmaire, Robert Jeannerod, Pierre Dominique Aigueperse, Roland Dubois, Dominique Delawarde, Jean Claude Grolier, Norbert de Cacqueray, Roger Prigent, Alfred Lebreton, Guy Durand and Gérard Balastre.

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