France: do members of the military want a coup?
In an open letter published in the right-wing weekly Valeurs Actuelles, a group of mostly retired generals has called on France's politicians to crack down on anti-racism, Islamism, hatred and "hordes" in the banlieues to stop France from falling apart. The leader of the far-right Rassemblement National, Marine Le Pen, has endorsed their critique. Commentators find the call completely out of line.
Trail leads to the far right
The generals' letter is nothing less than a call for a coup d'état, Jutarnji list concludes:
“The French Ministry of Defence is now conducting an investigation to determine whether and how many active members of the army there are among the signatories. Some of the better-known signatories are known to be politically engaged generals. It is also known that certain military circles have strong links to Le Pen's Rassemblement National, which has been preaching against foreigners, Muslims and European integration for decades.”
Who is really endangering the Republic
Mediapart publishes an opposing call by young journalists, activists and politicians:
“In the history of our country, no current of thought has ever spread hatred of others as much as the extreme right. Never before has a political family built its success so heavily on the misery of others and taken xenophobia as its banner. ... What these men embody can in no way be the solution to the future challenges facing France. Precisely the opposite is the case. In the phase we are now going through, they are a central threat. ... We denounce this letter for what it is: a clear and disinhibited expression of an organised far right determined to seize power. We call on the addressees to understand it for what it is: a threat to the French Republic.”