France: soldiers signing a controversial forum will be sanctioned
French President Emmanuel Macron next to the General of the General Staff of the French Armies François Lecointre on July 14, 2019 on the avenue des Champs-Élysées (illustrative image).
AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
They are now more than 10,000 soldiers to have signed the controversial forum denouncing the “disintegration” of France.
The vast majority are retired soldiers, and therefore no longer subject to the right of reservation.
But those in activity will be sanctioned.
This is what announced this Wednesday evening, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General François Lecointre, in an interview with the newspaper
Le Parisien.
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Of the 25 retired generals
who signed this platform
, 24 will pass to the Superior Military Council and could be removed from the army.
In any case, this is what General François Lecointre wants.
But the decision ultimately rests with Emmanuel Macron.
Although no longer active, these 24 generals belong to what is called the “second section”, meaning that they can be recalled by the ministry at any time.
And that is why they are always subject to a right of reserve, neutrality and loyalty.
As for active soldiers identified for the time being, they will receive military disciplinary sanctions.
They will be stronger for the most senior.
These soldiers are only 18 for the moment, out of 210,000 active in France, but the number could increase as new signatures keep being added to the list.
General François Lecointre, however, affirms that this forum does not reflect "
in any way the state of mind of the armies today
".
"
The French army is republican, it is not politicized,
" he insists.
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See also:
France: the government reacts to a military forum supported by Marine Le Pen
EXCLUSIVE |
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces reacts to the military platform
General François Lecointre wishes "the radiation, therefore the automatic retirement" of the signatories
➡️ https://t.co/8ANUIsl28g pic.twitter.com / m5jhpB0FZ0
- The Parisian (@le_Parisien) April 28, 2021
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