Momentum grows amid Corsica's challenges & diverse perspectives Corsica's path to independence

In an exclusive interview with Caliber.Az’s Fuad Muxtar-Aqbabali, Jean-Guy Talamoni, Corsican politician and nationalist, who was the Corsican Assembly president from 2015 to 2021, delves into the complex landscape of the Corsican identity and its quest for independence, explores the current situation, challenges, and aspirations of the Corsican nationalist movement, shedding light on its goals, strategies, and the broader geopolitical context, including from linguistic autonomy to political sovereignty, navigates through the intricacies of Corsica's journey towards self-determination.

[Question] How would you describe Corsica's current situation in its quest for independence?

[Jean-Guy Talamoni] Corsica is currently not in a phase of actively pursuing independence, as the independence movement remains relatively weak. However, we acknowledge that the momentum of the movement has increased significantly in recent years, although it has not yet reached a point where it could significantly impact a self-determination referendum. Therefore, it is crucial for supporters of independence to continue their efforts to persuade more Corsicans to their cause. We believe that in the coming years, the conditions will be more favorable for a self-determination process.

[Question] Is the ultimate goal of the Corsican nationalist movement independence from France?

[Jean-Guy Talamoni] Our goal as Corsican independentists is sovereignty vis-à-vis France. However, within the Corsican National Movement, there exists a faction of autonomists, seeking greater power within the framework of the French Republic. This stance differs from ours entirely. Therefore, we must persist in our efforts to convince others that Corsica's solution lies not in autonomy, but in complete and unconditional independence.

[Question] When striving to preserve Corsican culture and linguistic autonomy, what alternative solutions are being considered if complete independence isn't the primary focus?

[Jean-Guy Talamoni] Concerning our culture, particularly our language, the situation is worrisome as language usage continues to diminish. Reversing this trend necessitates legal measures, including granting our language co-official status alongside French. This demand, formerly championed solely by us, was embraced by the Corsican Assembly about a decade ago. However, Paris shows reluctance towards this notion, resisting the acknowledgment of the co-official status for any language besides French.

[Question] If independence from France isn't the end target, then what is the ultimate aim of the struggle?

[Jean-Guy Talamoni] Indeed, independence represents the ultimate objective for a segment of Corsicans, to which we belong. However, it's important to acknowledge that there isn't currently a majority of Corsicans in favor of independence. We are actively working towards achieving this majority support for independence, which we anticipate will happen in the years ahead. Our situation resembles that of the Catalans a decade ago. Initially, the proponents of independence were in the minority, but within a few years, they became the majority. We will continue our efforts to garner increasing support for independence among Corsicans, emphasizing the necessity of complete sovereignty. We firmly believe that independence provides a comprehensive solution to Corsica's challenges across economic, cultural, and demographic domains.

[Question] To what extent can the nationalist majority in the assembly influence decision-making toward achieving Corsica's goals?

[Jean-Guy Talamoni] The current majority in the Corsican assembly is not in favor of independence; rather, it leans towards autonomy. We believe that this majority is mistaken in pursuing shallow agreements with Paris that do not adequately address the challenges at hand. We have seen recently the discussions between the French government and the autonomists.

For our part, we did not go to this meeting. Our elected Josepha Giacometti did not go, refused to go to this dinner, which should conclude the discussion phase, which we call a phase of chit-chat. In reality, in what is presented by the French government today, a constitutional article for Corsica, there is strictly no lever that would be useful to our people.

In the proposals presented by the French government, particularly the constitutional article for Corsica, we find no provisions that address the pressing needs of our people. There's no recognition of Corsican as a co-official language, no establishment of residency status to safeguard our land from foreign acquisition. That is, to reserve jobs to a large extent in Corsica, while it exists, for example, in French Polynesia, it is not a question in the context of the agreements that have just been signed. So, in reality, it is a new status that is called autonomy, but, which is in the best case, autonomy in Rabat.

What we share in common is the attention and fraternity that have bound us together for several decades, fostering close relations. For instance, we extend invitations to our international events to all peoples currently under French authority.

Therefore, our relationships have remained profoundly interconnected over time. However, there are notable differences between us, particularly in terms of our respective stages of development.

Unlike New Caledonia, which holds a constitutional title and is engaged in a negotiated process of self-determination with Paris, Corsica finds itself uncertain about its future due to the thwarting of the third referendum planned under agreements with Paris.

Currently, we are not actively pursuing a process of self-determination, and our differences extend to geographical context as well. Corsica's central location in Europe and distance from the French capital Paris mean that it is not considered an ultra-peripheral region, which can sometimes complicate our approaches.

Additionally, the forms of colonization imposed by France have varied, affecting our peoples differently. Despite these disparities, our fundamental commonality lies in our shared desire to liberate our respective peoples and achieve full sovereignty.