Corsican language ban stirs protest on French island

Court cites France’s constitution in ruling that only French is allowed in exercise of public office on Corsica.

A court in Corsica has prompted outrage by banning the use of the Corsican language in the island’s local parliament.

The court in the city of Bastia cited France’s constitution it its ruling on Thursday that French was the only language allowed in the exercise of public office.

Corsican, which is close to standard Italian and has about 150,000 native speakers, is considered by the UN’s cultural organisation Unesco to be in danger of becoming extinct.

Thursday’s verdict ruled the Corsican assembly’s custom of allowing Corsican language for debates was unconstitutional and therefore banned.

Beyond the language question, the court said local rules effectively establishing “the existence of a Corsican people” were also a violation of the constitution.

The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by the prefect of Corsica – the central government’s highest representative on the island – and comes as Emmanuel Macron’s administration is talking with local politicians about granting Corsica greater autonomy.

eople applaud protesters holding molotov cocktails in Bastia during a rally in support of the Corsican nationalist figure Yvan Colonna.

Leading pro-autonomy politicians immediately lashed out at the verdict.

“This decision amounts to stripping Corsican parliament members of the right to speak their language during debates,” said the island’s executive council president, Gilles Simeoni, and Corsican assembly president, Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis.

“Accepting this state of affairs is unthinkable for us,” they said in a joint statement, announcing an appeal against the verdict. The Corsican language needed to be given official status alongside French for it to survive and develop, they said.

Pro-independence party Core in Fronte tweeted, in Corsican, that it considered the verdict “shameful”.

The boss of the Party of the Corsican Nation, Jean-Christophe Angelini, tweeted that the decision “sounds to us like an insult”, also calling it “an injustice and a disgrace”.

Corsica has a fraught relationship with France’s central government, with nationalist movements having demanded more autonomy or even outright independence for several decades.

Macron said last month that he had “no taboos” about reforming the status of Corsica, which is a sunny Mediterranean island beloved by holidaymakers. But he insisted that Corsica had to remain part of France.

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 Érignac, the highest-ranking French official to have ever been assassinated.

… as 2023 gathers pace, and you’re joining us from France, we have a small favour to ask. A new year means new opportunities, and we're hoping this year gives rise to some much-needed stability and progress. Whatever happens, the Guardian will be there, providing clarity and fearless, independent reporting from around the world, 24/7.

Times are tough, and we know not everyone is in a position to pay for news. But as we’re reader-funded, we rely on the ongoing generosity of those who can afford it. This vital support means millions can continue to read reliable reporting on the events shaping our world. Will you invest in the Guardian this year?

Unlike many others, we have no billionaire owner, meaning we can fearlessly chase the truth and report it with integrity. 2023 will be no different; we will work with trademark determination and passion to bring you journalism that’s always free from commercial or political interference. No one edits our editor or diverts our attention from what’s most important.

With your support, we’ll continue to keep Guardian journalism open and free for everyone to read. When access to information is made equal, greater numbers of people can understand global events and their impact on people and communities. Together, we can demand better from the powerful and fight for democracy.

Whether you give a little or a lot, your funding is vital in powering our reporting for years to come. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just €2. It takes less than a minute to set up, and you can rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.

photo : Corsica has a fraught relationship with France’s central government, with nationalist movements having demanded more autonomy for decades. Photograph: Pascal Pochard-Casabianca/AFP/Getty Images

Connexion utilisateur

Commentaires récents

  • L’Enseignement martiniquais aux enseignants martiniquais ?

    POUR UNE SUPPRESSION RAPIDE DES 40%

    MAMDIARRA DIAWARA

    27/03/2024 - 19:00

    La suppression des 40% des enseignants non-martiniquais et martiniquais puis de tous les autres Lire la suite

  • Ces enfants qui ne sont pas morts sous les bombes...

    SANS VOIX

    Albè

    22/03/2024 - 08:15

    On ne peut rester que sans voix devant pareille vidéo. Lire la suite

  • L'incroyable Royaume-Uni ou le retour de bâton de l'Empire

    20 ANS

    Albè

    21/03/2024 - 08:33

    Cela fait plus de 20 ans que l'expression de "retour du bâton colonial" est utilisé par les analy Lire la suite

  • L'incroyable Royaume-Uni ou le retour de bâton de l'Empire

    Retour de bâton ?VOUS êTES SûR ?

    MAMDIARRA DIAWARA

    20/03/2024 - 11:25

    Je ne comprends pas l’utilisation de l’expression “retour de bâton” .C’est une tournure théorique Lire la suite

  • 5 bateaux de croisière d'un coup !

    LA VIDEO ACCOMPAGNANT CET ARTICLE

    Albè

    17/03/2024 - 09:42

    Même pour ceux qui ne comprennent pas l'anglais, la vidéo qui se trouve en bas de cet article est Lire la suite