PARIS: France’s government on Tuesday ruled out major concessions toward autonomy sought by Corsica’s nationalists after they won a regional election, but said it was open to talks that took account of the island’s distinctive character.
The nationalists on Sunday won two thirds of the seats in the new regional council that takes office on Jan. 1.
Their ambitions are relatively modest among the wave of secessionist movements that have sprung up in parts of Europe as its traditional political forces have lost traction.
Unlike Catalonia’s nationalists, they do not target outright independence, but they do seek official status for the Corsican language and a greater say on fiscal issues.
Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said there were Corsican “specifics” to be taken into account in the discussions that Paris holds with all new regional authorities.
“(But) let’s be clear ... this was not a referendum or a vote on autonomy or independence,” he told France 2 TV.
The Corsican nationalists also want to be able to decide who can buy properties and they seek liberty for those they call political prisoners, who have been condemned for attacks or are awaiting judgment.
The sun-drenched island, the birthplace of Napoleon and known as much over recent decades for its sometimes violent independence movements as for its stunning landscapes, has long been a thorn in the side of French governments.
Clandestine group the National Front for the Liberation of Corsica (FLNC) laid down its weapons in 2014 after a near four-decade long rebellion, in a major shift that helped boost the popularity of the moderate nationalists who won Sunday’s election.
Asked about prisoners, Griveaux said: “The law must be respected. When there have been crimes and a court ruling, when people have been condemned, the sentence should be carried out.”
Asked about Corsican becoming an official language on the island alongside French, Griveaux said provision had already been made in various regions to allow the use of a local language, for instance in some schools. But “the language of the Republic is French,” he added.
Political analyst Andre Fazi, a lecturer at the University of Corsica, said it would be hard for the nationalists to get what they wanted.
“But with Sunday’s election win, it would also be risky for the government to not do anything,” he said. “Shutting the door completely could boost calls for outright independence, as was the case in Catalonia.”
In a sign that the government might be taking this into account, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Sunday called nationalist leader Gilles Simeoni to congratulate him on his win and told him he was willing to see him soon in Paris.
French govt dampens Corsican nationalists’ autonomy hopes
French govt dampens Corsican nationalists’ autonomy hopes
Trump renews push to annex Greenland
- President Donald Trump doubled down Sunday on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States, despite calls by Denmark’s prime minister to stop “threatening” the territory
COPENHAGEN: President Donald Trump doubled down Sunday on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States, despite calls by Denmark’s prime minister to stop “threatening” the territory.
Washington’s military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears for Greenland, which Trump has repeatedly said he wants to annex, given its strategic location in the Arctic.
While aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump reiterated the goal.
“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” he said in response to a reporter’s question.
“We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months... let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”
Over the weekend, the Danish prime minister called on Washington to stop “threatening its historical ally.”
“I have to say this very clearly to the United States: it is absolutely absurd to say that the United States should take control of Greenland,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement.
She also noted that Denmark, “and thus Greenland,” was a NATO member protected by the agreement’s security guarantees.
’Disrespectful’
Trump rattled European leaders by attacking Caracas and grabbing Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who is now being detained in New York.
Trump has said the United States will now “run” Venezuela indefinitely and tap its huge oil reserves.
Asked in a telephone interview with The Atlantic about the implications of the Venezuela military operation for mineral-rich Greenland, Trump said it was up to others to decide.
“They are going to have to view it themselves. I really don’t know,” Trump was quoted as saying.
He added: “But we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”
Hours later, former aide Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s most influential adviser, drew ire by posting an image of Greenland in the colors of the US flag, captioning it “SOON.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called Miller’s post “disrespectful.”
“Relations between nations and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law — not on symbolic gestures that disregard our status and our rights,” he wrote on X.
But he also said “there is neither reason for panic nor for concern. Our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts.”
Allies?
Stephen Miller is widely seen as the architect of much of Trump’s policies, guiding the president on his hard-line immigration policies and domestic agenda.
Denmark’s ambassador to the United States, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, offered a pointed “friendly reminder” in response to Katie Miller’s post that his country has “significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts” and worked together with Washington on that.
“We are close allies and should continue to work together as such,” Soerensen wrote.
Katie Miller was deputy press secretary under Trump at the Department of Homeland Security during his first term.
She later worked as communications director for then-vice president Mike Pence and also acted as his press secretary.
