Macron says open to ideas for future of Corsica
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he had "no taboos" about reforming the status of Corsica, a sunny Mediterranean island beloved by holidaymakers from the mainland, but with a strong independence movement.
Speaking to Corsican elected officials at talks in Paris, Macron said that any changes, up to and including autonomy for Corsica, could be added to a planned wider constitutional reform, one of his advisers said.
But he insisted on two "red lines" -- that Corsica remain part of France and avoiding the creation of "two classes of citizens".
Macron's office said that the talks should "come up with a proposal" to be added to his constitutional changes, expected to be announced in autumn.
New negotiations between Paris and Corsican leaders appear to have been unblocked by the conditional release of two men convicted of participating in the 1998 murder of the island's prefect Claude Erignac.
Alain Ferrandi, released Thursday, and Pierre Alessandri, released in January, were both jailed as members of the hit squad that shot Erignac in the back on the streets of the island's capital Ajaccio.
Loathed by many on the mainland for their role in the assassination of the island's top state official, they were seen in Corsica as political prisoners.
Some demonstrations demanding their release turned violent, as in April 2022 when dozens clashed with police after another member of the "Erignac squad", Yvan Colonna, was strangled to death in prison.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Why France is holding talks about autonomy for Corsica
Macron's office said he told the Corsican representatives Friday that "there is a common destiny to write, to build and rebuild with Corsica".
But he warned that "there will never be 100 percent satisfaction for everybody" in thrashing out a compromise solution.
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Speaking to Corsican elected officials at talks in Paris, Macron said that any changes, up to and including autonomy for Corsica, could be added to a planned wider constitutional reform, one of his advisers said.
But he insisted on two "red lines" -- that Corsica remain part of France and avoiding the creation of "two classes of citizens".
Macron's office said that the talks should "come up with a proposal" to be added to his constitutional changes, expected to be announced in autumn.
New negotiations between Paris and Corsican leaders appear to have been unblocked by the conditional release of two men convicted of participating in the 1998 murder of the island's prefect Claude Erignac.
Alain Ferrandi, released Thursday, and Pierre Alessandri, released in January, were both jailed as members of the hit squad that shot Erignac in the back on the streets of the island's capital Ajaccio.
Loathed by many on the mainland for their role in the assassination of the island's top state official, they were seen in Corsica as political prisoners.
Some demonstrations demanding their release turned violent, as in April 2022 when dozens clashed with police after another member of the "Erignac squad", Yvan Colonna, was strangled to death in prison.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Why France is holding talks about autonomy for Corsica
Macron's office said he told the Corsican representatives Friday that "there is a common destiny to write, to build and rebuild with Corsica".
But he warned that "there will never be 100 percent satisfaction for everybody" in thrashing out a compromise solution.
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