ADVENT | Dossier
President Doué Le Suivre
"The world is a machine, the government are the mechanics, and the people are the oil."
- Doué Le Suivre
PARIS – Those hoping for a period of calm and no controversy found themselves disappointed as France, together with a number of other nations, formally lodged their opposition to a proposal created by the Executive Branch allocating funds for the restoration of the historic cities of Mecca and Medina within Saudi Arabia, of the Middle Eastern States.
"This decision, no matter how well-intentioned, is ultimately an endeavor which should not be undertaken by the state," le Suivre said in a released statement to the press. "This is work which should be supplied, funded, and supported by the respective groups and those interested in advocacy. As a state, we should focus on allocating our resources to programs and institutions which benefit the majority of citizens and are not for the benefit of a minority, especially one with a religious focus."
Le Suivre's strong stance has received reciprocal support from a number of ADVENT nations, including China, Myanmar, India, and others, as well as intermittent support from large sectors of the general population who have backed secular enforcement of ADVENT's standards. ADVENT responded to this by insisting the funding was legal, and intended primarily to restore a cultural icon of Humanity as opposed to an active religious monument.
Beyond this more recent intervention, it signals the French President's intention to become more involved with speaking out about the politics of the world and the events that are shaping ADVENT. While many leaders have tended to keep their focus to their own countries and relegating any comment or intervention to the Congress of Nations if ignoring it altogether, le Suivre has taken a markedly different tone.
His first major push after becoming an ADVENT nation was to institute a plan for ADVENT to pressure many of the North African nations – all of them French allies since the War on Terror – to join the body, despite fierce resistance. Their eventual assimilation into ADVENT was hailed as a major diplomatic success, and propelled the profile of the President to the public and within ADVENT itself.
Le Suivre has been forging friendships and relationships within the Congress of Nations, and within critical sectors of ADVENT both public and private. He has had numerous meetings with ADVENT scientists and engineers, and is a reliable advocate for them. He's made numerous visits to the front lines where soldiers of the French Legion are deployed, and is a proponent of ADVENT's method of global hegemony.
His critics and cynics believe that he is laying the groundwork for a future run for Chancellor, and is doing what he can to align himself with conventional ADVENT thought and showcase his allegiance to ADVENT – particularly the Oversight Division – as a reliable supporter. Yet many others believe that while le Suivre's ambitions for the future may include the Chancellorship, they would never say he is doing this purely because of politics.
"For better or worse, he's the real deal," one former advisor shared. "He believes what he says, and when you hear him say that he supports ADVENT and wants to bring it into the future – you can be sure he is going to do that."
What he will be able to accomplish remains to be seen, but for now le Suivre enjoys record-high approval ratings as he continues making his political moves. Time will tell what his political goals are – and if he will achieve them.
- Article | "French President Le Suivre Criticizes ADVENT Mosque Decision; the Latest Move in a Series of Political Actions
Doué Le Suivre. A man who generates as much controversy as praise; whose name is hated by many, and loved by many more. A man who is, in every sense, a figure of history, and an icon of France. The Savior of the North African Campaign, the Chevalier, the Father of the Modern Colony, he has achieved many feats that his name is known throughout the Francosphere, and for better or worse is the founder of the modern French state and one who laid the groundwork for the world following the War on Terror.
From childhood he had a unique experience. Growing up under his father, also the French Foreign Minister, much of le Suivre's childhood was spent traveling the world, interacting with the people, and learning the cultures and customs of others. Yet one thing that le Suivre fondly recalls is the revelation of what was similar about the places he visited, not what was different.
"I remember my father asking me what I thought about the French influence in these nations, even though they were not from home," he once recalled. "At the time, I called it comforting, but odd. I didn't know why these strange countries had the same foods, spoke the same language, yet were different from us in certain ways. He told me that these nations were just as much French as those home – they just put their own spin on it, so to speak."
"It was a revelation of sorts for me," he continued. "Culture is what binds nations and people together, irrespective of the names and borders of the lands. This is not only true for the French, but the British, Chinese, Italians, and Germans. It spans religions, particularly Islam and Catholicism. One should not judge the powers of the world in terms of military might or landmass, but cultural dominance. The work of the foreign minister was not so simple as traveling and meeting dignitaries and posing for photos – it was about spreading, maintaining, and protecting our cultural influence over foreigners."
Le Suivre spent much of his youth specifically in Algeria, where his father made the conscious choice to live. His life was uniquely defined as one which was not raised in the normality of European wealth and privilege, but in nations where resources and comfort were scarcer. Yet it imposed on le Suivre a perspective that has defined his entire politics.
His time in Africa was spent mastering the native languages, a genuine enjoyment for him, as he is noted as uniquely gifted in the skill of learning languages. He has often joked that had he not gone into politics, linguistics would have been the second-best option. Despite his skin and nationality, he was respected even among his peers.
His moment of tragedy came one day when a local Islamic extremist group attempted to kill le Suivre's family, and thankfully did not succeed. The attack did, however, lead to the loss of one arm and several more scars he bears to this day. An injury like that would understandably lead to a change in intentions, but he notably did not do this, and continued pressing on – wanting to follow in the footsteps of his father.
Despite his disability, he was accepted to a prestigious university in Paris, and spent several years there refining what would become accepted in the mainstream as the Suivre Doctrine. His thesis revolved around the concept of diplomatic cultural assimilation – he believed that the only thing that would ensure bonds between peoples in different nations was three things – race, religion, and culture.
However, he quantified this by saying that there was a distinct ranking to this. Race was only a superficial bond, that was primarily attractive to reactionaries and racists who were more focused on causing pain and imposing fascistic rule than true kinship, and was prone to backstabbing. Religion was too sectarian and close-minded to be sustainable long-term, as religions were prone to purity tests and theological splits. He listed two exceptions – Sunni Islam and Catholicism.
Yet in the end, he argued that culture was the most powerful thing that could bring people together, beyond race, religion, creed, or nation. Culture he argued should be exported throughout the world. Cultural appropriation, far from being condemned, should be promoted and celebrated as it signifies that one nation's customs and culture has begun supplementing the host nation itself.
Modifications and twists on culture should not be rejected, but embraced he insists upon. He cited America as an example of a nation that has dozens of different cultures, accents, and tastes – yet all view themselves as Americans. Europeans he compares in a similar way, though the bond he notes is obviously not as strong.
It was a thesis that was accepted and is studied around the world with the various merits of it debated. It has been derided as 'next generation imperialism' or 'modern-day colonialism', critiques he has openly mocked and ignored – as a core component of his theory is cultural Darwinism – the superior cultures will endure, and the weaker or fragile ones will splinter and fade into history. Those who decry his theory as imperialism confirm to him the legitimacy of his theory.
"If my words were not truthful, then there would be no reason to fear," as he has often said.
Le Suivre was chosen to be Foreign Minister shortly after graduating, and was given an opportunity to put his theory into practice. His grand plan of "Greater France" involved an emulation of the United States in all but name, as his intent was to restore French cultural dominance to the former French colonies in Africa and directly support the expats in Quebec.
He was instrumental in pushing the French government to invest in these countries, and offer stronger rhetorical support to the French minorities, as well as encouraging French immigrants to the Francosphere through work visas and other clever methods to boost the French influence. This ran into issues, and his full vision was unable to be fulfilled – that was until the War on Terror kicked off.
Le Suivre had been a consistent critic of the Caliphate, and routinely ignored Riyadh when he did his tours of Northern Africa and heavily lobbied against countries joining it, which he viewed as a loss in the culture war to Sunni Islam. When the Caliphate entered the war, he saw an opportunity to recover his fading vision.
He was instrumental in convincing the French government to support the Egyptian intervention, and bringing Italy into the fold. This agreement, forged amidst significant criticism and opposition of General Van Doorn who wanted to ignore Africa as he considered it irrelevant, was a testament to Suivre's diplomatic skills.
Unfortunately, at the start, the conflict did not go well for him. The Caliphate was less prepared in Africa, but they were prepared to fight against the foreign invaders. Three months the war went and barely any ground had been made and there were fears of being pushed out entirely. Le Suivre pressed the President to give him full control over the operation – insisting he could win it.
Seeing an opportunity to likely scapegoat an assured failure, the President agreed to this. Immediately, le Suivre overhauled the approach taken to the conflict, and instead of relying just on soldiers, directly approached many of the leaders and communities in Northern Africa using a combination of bribes, threats, and realpolitik to soften and mitigate resistance.
Attacks became more surgical as French forces hit a rival village to a man who was leaning towards Suivre, other communities remembered Suivre, and believed his promises and expelled the Caliphate soldiers outright. Using the influence he had gained, Suivre also convinced countries south of the Caliphate to enter and catch the Caliphate soldiers flatfooted.
Slowly, the Caliphate's influence in Africa imploded as the culture war was waged, and emerged with the French victorious – which le Suivre to this day claims would not have been possible if the influence of the French had not existed. This victory was one he did not personally claim, but which was attributed to him across France.
This was only one part of his victory – the second part was rebuilding. He quietly placed sympathetic natives in positions of power, and had direct control over significant parts of their government. He worked with psychologists and French Muslims to break the conventional Sunni Muslim sect in the region, and instead adopt a far smaller and more liberal theological understanding common in America and Canada.
"There were many who were pushing a direct ban of Islam as we rebuilt as France proper had done," he wrote in a memoir years after the War on Terror. "Such a decision shows a unique ignorance in that part of the world. One cannot ban religion, let alone Islam, so long as much of their culture involves it. As it happened, there were French Muslims who no longer belonged in the mainland – yet there were other options. The French Muslims came to North Africa, and in doing so they began the process of breaking the hold the Sunni sect held over the North Africans."
Following the war, le Suivre continued serving in his role of Foreign Minister, and for this period effectively eclipsed the President in terms of sheer popularity. When he announced his run for president, it was met with universal acclaim and there was not a question of if he would win. When he ascended to the position, it was believed that the implementation of Greater France may be a reality.
It has not happened yet, but France has been heavily investing in countries in the Francosphere, expanding military cooperation, establishing bases, and forming 'civilian tours' where citizens can spend three or five years in a job abroad in the Francosphere while also being subsidized by the government. It has been a program that has slowly become more popular as time has progressed.
In the so-called Francosphere, there are doubts of le Suivre's success. Despite the continued government support of these nations, there is a general mixed opinion from the citizens, who are both grateful for the investment in their historically poorer nations – and fear that it is all in service of becoming client states of France, and whose local cultures and traditions are being slowly erased and replaced with French variants.
It remains to be seen if le Suivre will retain this success indefinitely, but if there is one thing certain, it is that by the theory he proposed, he is engaged in the culture war – and he is winning it.
- Article | "The Chevalier – A Biography on Doué Le Suivre (Abridged)
"It is always a pleasure to speak to one of the preeminent journalists still around. I've found your career quite interesting, and admirable. Never one to tie yourself to a particular station or outlet. Independence. Respectable, no need to compromise yourself to fit the narrative of another – not when you can craft your own."
"Ah, yes, I get ahead of myself. I am not the one conducting this interview after all, please ask your questions Ms. Wong."
"Why ADVENT…in a simple word, Ms. Wong, pragmatism. One would need to be a fool or blind to see that ADVENT is poised to become the de-factor superpower. An organization that already possesses the United States and Russia already possesses a significant portion of global power. Defiance is not only questionable, it is unwise."
"However, it is more than that. What I just described is the view of a pessimist, of one who only sees the negative. I, for one, see ADVENT as not only an opportunity, but perhaps a singular chance for Humanity to achieve its potential in a way that will not come again. The more I look into ADVENT, the more I find myself impressed with it."
"The answer for this is simple – ADVENT has the correct understanding of the world – and that is surprising. The world, Ms. Wong, is mistakenly believed to be complex. That experts, complex plans, and geniuses are required to understand and navigate its treacherous waters. In a word, it is a lie."
"The world is not built on chaos and disorder. There is logic in meaning in even the lowest of countries. Our reality is built on systems of organization and efficiency. There is no true chaos, only inefficiency. The world is a machine, something you have no doubt heard me say before, but I have yet to hear a credible argument as to why this simple analogy does not apply perfectly."
"Yes, I would also consider myself one of its mechanics. The reason that I use mechanical metaphors and not something more naturalistic, is that there is an element of unpredictability and randomness in the natural and medical sciences. A machine, however, is unchanging. There exists a blueprint, each piece performs a particular function, and they either work or they don't."
"Government, contrary to popular belief, is not the art of making the lives of the people better, but improving the machine of this world. The more efficient the machine, the better the lives of the people who live within it as a passive effect. Most politicians have no understanding of this, they fail to understand systems, and yes, this includes people. Each psychological state, each culture, each tradition, each religion, every facet of our reality is a system, and the better we understand these systems, the more we can improve and eliminate the rotten gears."
"Thus, ADVENT understands this truth. I can see this because they are not simply tinkering around the edges of these systems, but performing deep autopsies and taking direct action. They have declared war not only on this alien threat, but the inefficiencies and degeneracy that plagues our society and clogs the machine."
"Criminals, racists, fanatics, religions, greed, corruption, predatory and destructive behaviors and mindsets are hunted and purged with no explanation and apology. ADVENT shows itself willing to tear down a system that is not working and built a better one. This, more than anything, explains how ADVENT came to be, and how they sustain themselves."
"No, I do not know where ADVENT truly came from – but that is not really important. I do not consider it so, anyway. The old world was one that was a rotting, rusting, and dying system. Collapse would have come eventually, and the political and social forces of the world resisted change – necessary change."
"Perhaps what is most telling about ADVENT is that they reject the lie that is equality. Modern, and particularly Western thought has internalized and accepted the theory that all cultures and beliefs are equal and should be considered. One is not better than the other, they are merely different. This destructive understanding of multiculturalism accomplishes nothing but shattering the shared identity of a people and perpetuating a persistent false equivalence."
"This shared identity, if it does not defend itself or hold to core mindsets and beliefs, then it will be overrun by superior cultures which understand this simple truth. The culture war is real, but it is not what people believe. It isn't about petty corporate decisions, skin colors of actors, or the gender diversity of writing rooms. Culture is something deeper that affects your speech, relationships, mindset, philosophy, clothing, food, and things you do not often think about. Rarely is it overt, and anyone who says otherwise intends to deceive."
"A society must have a strong cultural core if it is to stand against competing cultures, lest it be diluted, warped, and changed. I speak from experience, and I have openly stated my participation in the worldwide culture war. I have made enemies when doing so, but the war here is real, and it is imperative that Humans develop a strong, robust, and unified culture to withstand the next phase of this culture war that will come from the aliens."
"ADVENT appears to understand this, and they are taking the necessary steps to forge a thorough culture, one centered around the Machine and what it is to be Human. However, we must understand that there will be casualties to this decision, but they are necessary. The harmless cultures ADVENT has assimilated and appropriated, and the worst ones have been purged from society. ADVENT understands that not all cultures are worthy of existing, or are objectively inferior to their designs. People decry this as an issue, when in reality they understand a truth very few do."
"It is more than just that, it extends to ideology and religion as well. Ideologies are culled, and the influence of religion is shattered to pieces. No longer will Humans be guided by old texts and mystical figures, but will be guided by science and the observable world. ADVENT has forged a more rational and pragmatic world where one didn't exist."
"Like it or not, Ms. Wong, the world needed ADVENT. Ask yourself – if the world were not in the state it was, would ADVENT have been able to succeed? If the governments were competent, if corruption wasn't rampant, if people were not homeless or starving, if criminals did not roam the streets or the powerful were held to account?"
"I do not excuse myself from this either. I am proud of what I was able to achieve as President before ADVENT – but even I believed that I had to work within the system. Destroying it and starting over I did not consider plausible. ADVENT did that, as they want to solve the problems, and in that I will gladly take part. Yet do consider what I said – ADVENT can only function in a world that is fundamentally broken, where the people will willingly surrender their sovereignty, will put their trust in a group that appears from nowhere, but who says the right things, and more importantly – follows through with them."
"Perhaps ADVENT is something more than a response to the broken machine. ADVENT is the machine made manifest, and it's work is just starting. Now I am one of its mechanics, and between us, Ms. Wong, I intend to make sure this particular machine remains working."
- Transcript of interview between President Le Suivre and Journalist Jessica Wong