Growing repressiveness in France: Macron’s Interior Minister declares intention to dissolve prominent Catholic organization
By Yannick Gregory
Quotes have been translated from the original French.
In the latest of a series of attempts to dissolve right-wing groups, French Interior Minister Darmanin announced during an interview on December 10 his intention to ban the catholic youth organization Academia Christiana. The reasoning: Incitement to violence and hate. The decision was a shock to the leaders of the organization and has sparked an outcry among right-wing youth in France. “In ten years of existence, we have never been the subject of a single investigation or conviction,” said Julien Langella, vice-president at Academia Christiana, in an interview with Freilich Magazin. “And none of our leaders have either. This has come from nowhere.”
The decision, if it moves forward, will ultimately have to pass through the president’s office and court system in France before it can become official. As with other dissolution processes, there is a chance it could then be rejected by a judge.
What is Academia Christiana?
Founded in 2013, Academia Christiana is dedicated to giving young Catholics “an intellectual backbone,” training them in faith and French identity. “We have three basic roles,” explains Langella, “First, as a center of spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical training for catholic youth. Second, as a laboratory of ideas. And third, as a hub for various initiatives: Social gatherings, colloquiums, hiking trips, etc.” The organization, often connected to the Saint Pius V movement within the Catholic Church, is avowedly Catholic and identitarian but welcomes others interested in its events to attend and participate.
The accusations: Incitement to violence and hatred
In a seven-page document, the interior ministry outlines its case for dissolving Academia Christiana. Some of the charges made by the interior ministry appear somewhat exaggerated - such as the accusation Academia Christiana of “makes a connection between part of the immigrant population and instances of crime and terrorism, thereby increasing islamophobia.” This is difficult to take seriously when the interior minister himself has made similar connections, saying in 2022 that “60% of people who are arrested are foreigners.” And even Macron once said that “half the instance of crime in Paris involve foreigners.”
The suggestion that Academia Christiana promotes violence is supported by such evidence as a guest speaker telling listeners to “not abandon the Sportsalle to our ‘friends’ in the banlieues.” Other pieces of evidence are weightier, but still not obviously dissolution-worthy - such as a guest speaker from 2021 is quoted saying that the audience should “teach your children to free themselves from the grip of republicanism,” and asking if: “…the financial sacrifice you make for your children is worth the war that we have to wage against the French Republic….we must think of a new way of existing by creating real pockets of resistance against dictatorship.”
A decision out of nowhere, with no chance to respond
What has been most confusing throughout to Langella is that no branch of government had, in the ten years of his organizations existence, ever pursued Academia Christiana for incitement or hate or any of the charges now leveled by the ministry. “This has come from nowhere.” He also finds frustrating that the individuals mentioned in the document are not even members of the organization. “They were mostly guest speakers. And the books they accuse of being from ‘collaborationists’ are also taught at universities here.”
But for the lawyer Gentillet, the biggest scandal naturally a legal one. According to him, although Darmanin was legally obligated to allow Academia Christiana the right to respond before making his decision public, he did no such thing. “[He] is in flagrant violation of article L.122-1 of the code regulating interactions between the public and the administration.” Darmanin has apparently confirmed his decision twice on two different media oulets without giving Academia Christiana a hearing.
As to whether he accepts any of the charges from the ministry, Langella gives a categorical no. Particularly on the point of inciting members to violence. “If anything, we curtail violence. We are a way to channel and redirect the anger many young Catholics feel at the current situation into constructive, healthy behaviors. If I were more cynical I would suspect that the government even knows this.”
Why now?
According to reporting by Radio France from November 2023, the French government has banned more organization since Macron’s term began than at any other point in the country’s history. During the December 10 interview, Darmanin also said that French intelligence services were also considering bans for three more so-called “ultra-right” groups.
When asked why he thinks AC specifically was targeted, Langella says: “The dissolution is a pure media tool for the government, it gives the image that it treats the ‘extremes’ fairly. This makes him appear to be a source of order when there have been countless attacks and knife attacks for years... It's theater. And then, what does ‘extreme’ mean? What do we have in common with groups that practice woke intellectual terrorism at university, taking students hostage, with the Muslim Brotherhood or antifa thugs? I think that Mr. Darmanin's policy corresponds to the desire to consolidate the electoral support of seniors (who vote for ‘security’) and of the metropolitan bourgeoisie, the ‘bloc of the satisfied’ 20 to 30% of French people overall.”
This instance represents the 23rd time Darmanin himself has undetaken a dissolution attempt of an organization since his term began, including the successful dissolution of Identitäre Bewegung in 2021. He has boasted proudly of his aggressive track record: “… I note that all the small ultra-right groups were dissolved when I proposed them to the President of the Republic.”
Darmanin’s record on enforcing the law against illegal immigrants who commit crimes or enacting overdue deportations, is much less strong, revealing a difference in prioritization.
For Langella, this series of actions against right-wing groups is a clear illustration of the center’s rising authoritarian tendency in France under Macron. “Macron blew apart the left and the right and his government is set on destroying what is left, by banning all resistance to his technocratic, neoliberal worldview. He takes a paternalist posture, crushing and censoring everyone who disagrees. I think that the people who embody ‘la Macronie’ dream of a controllable world where everyone is interchangeable and no one falls out of line. So you are seeing a more and more security-first approach to liberalism.”
Support from politicians: Several political and media figures on the French right and center-right have rallied to defend Academia Christiana and attack Darmanin:
Zemmour:
“The rule of law for Darmanin means not being able to expel jihadists, not shooting criminals who threaten the police, not dissolving the Young Guard [antifas], letting the Muslim Brotherhood prosper, but being able to dissolve peaceful associations with a snap of his fingers.”
De fournas, an RN politician, also criticized Darmanin:
Dismayed by the announcement of the dissolution of @AcademiaChristi. What are the reasons other than those of doing sports and catechism? Let us remember that Mr. Darmanin is not even capable of closing a mosque in Pessac which supports terrorism!
But when asked whether he had seen any support from left-wing defenders of free speech or the principle of free-association, Langella laughs. “Not at all that I know of. You know, the left keeps living up to the mantra it developed during the Revolution: No liberty for the enemies of liberty.”
Yannick Gregory is a writer for @FreilichMagazin
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France, like the USA, is run by faggots, women, Satanists, and Jews.
Whenever White men start organizing themselves, it is a direct threat to the power of these faggots, women, Satanists, and Jews. These White men don't even have to take overt actions on their own behalf or against the state. Their very existence as an organized group is the threat.
The regime is smart enough to understand this. You cannot allow young White men, especially Catholic right-wing types, to maintain parallel institutions. They cannot be allowed to exist.
The faggots, women, Satanists, and Jews understand this, and are fighting for keeps, while conservatives continue to shoot themselves in the foot by whining about fairness, principles, and anarcho-tyranny.
Sad news, and typical that the state apparatus only works against the law abiding. Anarcho-tyranny is no longer a bug, but a deliberate feature.
On a smaller scale, it exists with petty crime and anti-social behaviour here in England.