Department of Modern Languages and Cultures

Paul Smith discusses Cosica's desire for greater autonomy with Izvestia

Corsica will seek greater autonomy. As Izvestia was told by the island's executive council, it does, in particular, plan to get more financial independence from Paris; recognition of the Corsican language as an official status; and the right to introduce a status of local residency (in fact, reminiscent of the Soviet institution of residence).  

Experts doubt that the authorities of France, one of the most centralised countries of Europe, will agree to fulfil the requirements of Corsican nationalists, but the "spectre of Catalonia" hovering over the region will still make them less harsh. 

University of Nottingham expert in French Politics Dr Paul Smith is sure that by and large Paris will not agree to the fulfilment of the demands of Corsican nationalists for fear that next in line will be, for example, the Bretons. But in some ways the authorities will have to meet halfway. 

"The situation will develop in the spirit of the Basques. Paris will have to approach the future talks with great care to avoid the Catalan scenario," Dr Smith told Izvestia.

Read the full article (in Russian).

Posted on Thursday 7th December 2017

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