The president of France, Emmanuel Macrontoday appeared in favor of giving “autonomy” to Corsica within the Republic and to recognize the historical and cultural “specificity” of the island in the Constitution, reports Efe. Corsica is one of the poorest regions in France and just under 350,000 people live there.
In a long-awaited speech before the Corsican legislative assembly, dominated by nationalist political blocs, Macron mentioned a “historic moment” to overcome the “misunderstanding” and “confrontation” that has dominated relations between the island and the country in the past. State.
“I am in favor of crossing a new stage,” he said, and called for “building autonomy” for Corsica that is not “against the State or without the State”, but within the French Republic. Macron’s proposal does not clarify what type of autonomy will be granted to the Corsican authorities.
In the past, the Corsican separatists, a minority on the island, resorted to terrorism to vindicate their objectives and subsequently won regional elections in coalition with the autonomists, who do not want to leave the Republic.
The nationalist movement in Corsica appeared in the 18th century, when France conquered the island. Later he bought it from Genoa, but a part of the Corsican population feels closer to Italy and wants to become independent from France.
