Some of France’s current military have backed a letter from veterans warning them of a possible civil war.
Soldiers serving in the French army on Monday backed a group letter from former French soldiers about the possibility of a civil war.
In a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron published in a French newspaper on Sunday, some members of the French military warned of poor security practices and policies to counter what they called Islamic extremism, Sputnik reported.
The letter states about the signatories of a letter published by French veterans in early May: “These are the old forces whose honors you have trampled on in recent weeks. These are the thousands of servants of France who have signed this letter with common sense. These are soldiers who spent the best years of their lives defending our freedom. You treated them like insurgents; while their only mistake was that they loved their country and mourned its downfall.”
In a letter to Macron, they warned, “A civil war is brewing, and you know it well,” and called on the people to save their homeland, emphasizing that “this time it is a question of our country’s survival.”
In recent months, Islamophobia and anti-Islamism have become a major policy in the French government, with politicians accusing Muslims of extremism.
Prime Minister Jean-Castex and French Defense Minister Florence Perley condemned the retired military interference in political affairs without condemning the contents of the first letter, part of which was written against French Muslims.
According to a former French military official, 18 writers have been identified so far and will be punished or even expelled.
However, Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s right-wing party at the time, supported the letter written by the veterans and invited them to join his party.
In recent months, the passage of a law to increase support for police forces has sparked widespread protests in various French cities.
The law provides a new framework for the use of drones for police surveillance purposes, as well as allowing officers who are not on duty to carry weapons in public.
The law has been widely criticized at home and abroad since it was passed by the French National Assembly last November for restricting public freedom and violating privacy laws.