Politics. Corsican Autonomy: Draft Law Approved by Council of Ministers Despite Disagreements

"It's not often that we can say we're proud to have kept the State's word": François Rebsamen did not hide his satisfaction this Wednesday at the end of the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Regional Planning will therefore defend before Parliament the constitutional bill on the autonomy of Corsica, as it was adopted by the Island Assembly . First in the Senate, the third week of October, then in the Assembly in November.

The exceptional length of the Council of Ministers (three hours) is not, according to the minister, due to the differences of opinion on the Corsican issue between the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau , and the head of government François Bayrou . The latter did not take into account the recommendations of the Council of State, whose opinion is advisory in the draft law.

The text presented to Parliament will therefore refer to Corsica as a "historical, linguistic, and cultural community that has developed a unique bond with its land." This formulation does not suit members of the Republicans (LR), who have the majority in the Senate. Senators will therefore be able to modify it before it is submitted to the deputies.

If the Senate and the Assembly were to vote on this constitutional bill in the same terms, Parliament, meeting in Congress, would then have to adopt it with a three-fifths majority. The path of this text, which grants greater autonomy to Corsica, is therefore still far from being completed.