Pè a Corsica


Pè a Corsica is a Corsican nationalist political party in France, which calls for more autonomy for Corsica. More specifically, it is a coalition of the two Corsican nationalist parties active on the island; that is, the moderately autonomist Femu a Corsica and the strongly committed separatist Corsica Libera. The party is led by the autonomist Gilles Simeoni. The alliance was renewed for the 2017 territorial election.

Background

has calls for the island's autonomy in France, if not outright independence, following a movement developed since the 1920s with the establishment of the regionalist Corsican Action Party in the town of Bastia. The 2003 Corsican referendum on increased devolution failed by a narrow majority. From the 1970s up until 2014, there have also been many bombings and aggravated assaults claimed by a militant group going by the name of FLNC. By 2012, polls showed more support for increased devolution within France than for outright independence.

Electoral performance

In the December 2015 French regional elections in Corsica, Pè a Corsica won 24 of 51 seats. Mayor of Bastia Gilles Simeoni won the election with 35.34% of the vote. Jean-Guy Talamoni, leader of Corsica Libera, said: "It’s been a 40-year-long march to arrive here. Corsica is not just a French administrative constituency – it’s a country, a nation, a people."