{"id":19743,"date":"2025-11-21T03:05:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T02:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/2025\/11\/21\/dismissal-of-a-general-awakening-of-democracy-in-paris-pellizzaris-response-galvanizes-a-cross-party-front\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T03:05:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T02:05:35","slug":"dismissal-of-a-general-awakening-of-democracy-in-paris-pellizzaris-response-galvanizes-a-cross-party-front","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/2025\/11\/21\/dismissal-of-a-general-awakening-of-democracy-in-paris-pellizzaris-response-galvanizes-a-cross-party-front\/","title":{"rendered":"Dismissal of a general, awakening of democracy? In Paris, Pellizzari&rsquo;s response galvanizes a cross-party front"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">Following the hearing before the Conseil d&rsquo;Etat (France highest administrative court) on November 17, 2025, an extensive press conference brought together lawyer Diane Protat, REP Senator Alain Houpert,\u00a0<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gcfl.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\" rel=\"noopener\" data-extlink=\"\"><span dir=\"auto\">essayist Jacques Nikonoff<\/span><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0, and the individual in question, General (2nd section) Paul Pellizzari, who was dismissed from the military by presidential decree on April 17. At stake: the annulment of a sanction deemed \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">disproportionate<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c and, beyond that, the role of Parliament in France&rsquo;s military engagements with Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Radiation d&#039;un g\u00e9n\u00e9ral, r\u00e9veil d&#039;une d\u00e9mocratie. Pellizzari, Houpert et Nikonoff front transpartisan\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/29oud56-zZg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">The chronology, meticulously laid out by Mr. Protat, sets the scene. In February 2024, Alain Houpert, alongside Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, petitioned\u00a0<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/politique-france\/respect-des-institutions-le-senateur-houpert-saisit-le-conseil-d-etat\"><span dir=\"auto\">the Council of State to compel parliamentary ratification<\/span><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0of the Franco-Ukrainian military agreements, based on Article 53 of the Constitution, which had already been invoked for other partnerships (Papua New Guinea, in particular). The petition was rejected.\u00a0<strong>The failure to refer the matter to Parliament would therefore be considered an \u201c<\/strong><\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\"><strong>act of government<\/strong><\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\"><strong>\u201d.<\/strong>\u00a0Paul Pellizzari then filed a complaint with the Court of Justice of the Republic for \u201c\u00a0<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">illegal delivery of military equipment<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c due to the lack of parliamentary ratification, and claimed whistleblower status in an interview with\u00a0<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">France-Soir<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">. Eight and a half months later, he faced a disciplinary hearing and was dismissed from the service. In the meantime, 68 military personnel submitted a \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">citizens&rsquo; resolution<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d urging parliamentarians to take a stand; Alain Houpert relayed the initiative to the Senate (<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/politique-france\/resolution-d-alain-houpert-sur-l-ukraine-une-reponse-la-voix-des-francais-court\"><span dir=\"auto\">resolution no. 547<\/span><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0). This resolution, however, is\u00a0<strong>still awaiting inclusion on the agenda<\/strong>. \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">The symbolic resolution was submitted on April 16th; the decree of removal was issued on the 17th. The timing raises questions<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d, states Mr. Protat. A decision from the Council of State is expected within three weeks; the government rapporteur has recommended its rejection.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img align-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PP DN\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"f319db03-bb03-44f1-bb95-3c00ff0d6682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/PP%20DP.jpeg\" height=\"395\" width=\"703\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><figcaption><em>Me Diane Protat et Paul Pellizari &#8211; cr\u00e9dit photo F. Froger<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">Facing the cameras, Alain Houpert unequivocally embraced the role of political mentor to a \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">courageous man<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d The senator denounced \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">a world of unreason<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d where \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">authority becomes authoritarian, tough on the weak and weak on the strong<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d He criticized the alarmist rhetoric attributed to the Chief of Staff who addressed the mayors:\u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">They are being told to expect war in four years and to accept sacrificing our children<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d He then brought the debate back to the heart of the matter: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">I want the Constitution and the law to be respected. Article 53 is not optional<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/politique-france\/les-francais-exigent-d-etre-entendus-un-sondage-choc-commande-par-le-senateur\"><span dir=\"auto\">Citing a survey of a representative sample<\/span><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0of French people, he explains that \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">80% of the French are against the war<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c and calls for \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">listening to the people<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d Above all, he situates Paul Pellizzari within a battle for civil liberties: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">We must defend whistleblowers. In this country, if you are against the government, you become a conspiracy theorist<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img align-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Alain Houpert\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"0076a2dc-ddf6-407c-a725-6ffcfedbe1c0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/image_734.png\" height=\"394\" width=\"704\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><figcaption><em>Senator Alain Houpert &#8211; photo credit France-Soir<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">Paul Pellizzari, for his part, denies being involved in politics. \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">I don&rsquo;t do politics<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d, he repeats. His approach is legal and civic: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">Article 40 obliges me, as a civil servant, to report a crime.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/videos-les-debriefings\/attal-lecornu-et-sejourne-vises-par-une-plainte-pour-avoir-livre-une\"><em><span dir=\"auto\">I filed a complaint. The response I received, in essence: move along, there&rsquo;s nothing to see here.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0From his dismissal, he remembers the message sent to the military community: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">Military personnel, shut up. Silence in the ranks.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c He mocks the disproportionate nature of the situation: \u201c\u00a0<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">I&rsquo;m accused of having &lsquo;seriously endangered the Republic&rsquo;\u2014and it takes them eight months to summon me. It looks like retaliation.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c On the substance of the matter, he insists on the demand for legality:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">My fight isn&rsquo;t about being for or against Ukraine. My fight is for respect for the Constitution. We don&rsquo;t plunder our crown jewels without a mandate from the Nation.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img align-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jacques Nikonoff\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"a76ea656-1c13-451c-ac76-abb8cbaec419\" src=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/Paul%20pellizzari%20Alain%20Houpert.jpeg\" height=\"394\" width=\"701\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><figcaption><em>Paul Pellizzari and Alain Houpert &#8211; photo credit F.Froger<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">To his right, Jacques Nikonoff mentions the creation of the\u00a0<\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gcfl.fr\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"(opens in a new window)\" rel=\"noopener\" data-extlink=\"\"><span dir=\"auto\">Free France Citizens&rsquo; Group (GCFL)<\/span><\/a><span dir=\"auto\">, a cross-party banner bringing together elements from the \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">true left<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c (the Deglobalization Party, Carmagnole, constituent movements) and the military, alongside elected officials like Alain Houpert.\u00a0<strong>The common thread: democracy and peace<\/strong>. \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">When did Parliament debate an act as serious as the delivery of 100 Rafale fighter jets to Ukraine?<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d he asks. Denouncing \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">a president of the Republic in moral decline<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d, he links the escalation of hostilities to the European industrial collapse exposed by the Draghi report: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">We are heading towards war, not peace. Without industry, there is no credible defense; without national sovereignty, there is no freedom<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d The GCFL claims the legacy of the National Council of the Resistance: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">a broad alliance, founded on the demand for freedom.\u201d<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0And it sets out two courses of action: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">legal action and building a public opinion movement for peace. Are we capable of creating enough pressure that the government is forced to back down?<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img align-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jacques Nikonoff\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"914e84f0-616d-48fc-a0a9-5297f40173d0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/JN.jpeg\" height=\"398\" width=\"708\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><figcaption><em>Jacques Nikonoff &#8211; photo credit F. Froger<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">The debate sometimes veers into semantic sparring, sometimes into sharp retorts. Alain Houpert: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">Conspiracy theories have become state-sanctioned blasphemy.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c Paul Pellizzari: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">In the military, we cross-check our sources. We don&rsquo;t announce the death of &lsquo;Martin Bouygues&rsquo; just because we heard it at a cocktail party.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c The senator cites the Dreyfus precedent and promises defiantly: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">My dear General, I will always call you General.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d With a nod to the military adage, the pair exchange: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">Si vis pacem, para bellum<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u201c (If you want peace, prepare for war), then Pellizzari: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">We&rsquo;ve changed that in the military: &lsquo;Win the war before the war.&rsquo; No comment.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">On the institutional front, lawyer Protat points out the confusion between a non-binding government declaration (Article 51-1) and the requirement for ratification legislation (Article 53) for agreements involving finance or security. \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">A contrivance, a maneuver to avoid applying the text<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d, she asserts, emphasizing that previously, less significant agreements had indeed been put to a vote. She adds that no record of the interministerial legal opinions has been provided despite requests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">What to expect now? First, the decision of the Council of State. If it is overturned, Paul Pellizzari \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">hopes to regain his stars<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201c; if it is rejected, he promises to pursue the matter \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">whatever the outcome<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d, convinced that\u201c\u00a0<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">the French are beginning to worry about where their taxes are going<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">.\u201d In Parliament, the ball is in the Senate&rsquo;s office, which has been seized of Resolution 547. In civil society, the GCFL is betting on a reshaped political landscape: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">Why not reconstitute a true Jaur\u00e8sian left and a true Gaullist right, and act together where we agree?<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d suggests Jacques Nikonoff. Alain Houpert agrees: \u201c<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">In crises, right and left fade away: there are only French people.<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">One sentence remains, brutal and clear, like a test of democratic resistance: \u00ab\u00a0<\/span><em><span dir=\"auto\">The first of the values of the Republic is to respect its Constitution<\/span><\/em><span dir=\"auto\">\u00a0\u00bb Pellizzari concludes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure>\n<figure role=\"group\" class=\"caption caption-img align-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-entity-type=\"file\" data-entity-uuid=\"e407ca32-f8ea-49e4-b8f7-4a79360eba3b\" src=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/sites\/default\/files\/inline-images\/image_737.png\" height=\"579\" width=\"645\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyload\"\/><figcaption><em>Paul Pellizzari &#8211; photo credit F. froger\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span dir=\"auto\">Three weeks for a verdict. And perhaps much longer to clarify the red line between national interest and the rule of law.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = \"\/\/connect.facebook.net\/fr_FR\/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3\";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, \"script\", \"facebook-jssdk\"));<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.francesoir.fr\/videos-videos-english\/dismissal-general-awakening-democracy-paris-pellizzari-s-response-galvanizes\" target=\"_blank\"\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following the hearing before the Conseil d&rsquo;Etat (France highest administrative court) on November 17, 2025, an extensive press conference brought together lawyer Diane Protat, REP Senator Alain Houpert,\u00a0essayist Jacques Nikonoff\u00a0,&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-classe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19743"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19743\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monde25.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}