French National Assembly adopts Corsican autonomy bill, Senate fight looms

The vote

On Tuesday, June 23, the National Assembly adopted the constitutional bill for "an autonomous Corsica within the Republic" by 271 votes to 202. The text originated from the so-called Beauvau process, started in March 2022 after the death in prison of independence activist Yvan Colonna and the violent riots that followed. Minister for Decentralisation Françoise Gatel called the vote an important step. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who steered the initial negotiations as interior minister, said on X that the promise had been kept.

“This constitutes an important step for Corsica and for our democracy.”

What the bill proposes

The reform grants Corsica the right to adapt national laws and regulations to its island specificities and to issue its own legislative texts in areas of its competence. Rapporteur Florent Boudié argued that a one-size-fits-all urban planning code made no sense for a Mediterranean mountain island. The Constitution would also recognise a "historic, linguistic and cultural community" with a singular bond to the Corsican land. Regalian powers (security, defence, justice, currency, electoral law) are explicitly excluded. The exact scope of devolved competences will be defined by a future organic law, with the government citing planning, tourism and economic development as likely fields.

“No one can believe that the urban planning code can be the same in Rueil-Malmaison as in Ajaccio.”

Political fault lines

The text drew support from most of the left, with France Insoumise voting in favour after Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for an "extended autonomy" on June 7. Renaissance president Gabriel Attal wrote in Corse-Matin that recognising Corsica's singularity does not weaken the Republic. The far-right Rassemblement National voted against, dismissing the text as a display measure. Centre-right deputy François-Xavier Ceccoli worried about concentrating power in one hand. Gilles Simeoni, former head of the Corsican executive, watched from the gallery with a faint smile.

“Recognising Corsica's singularity is not weakening the Republic.”

The road ahead

The bill now heads to the Senate, where the right and centre dominate and many expect a difficult examination in the autumn. Even if both chambers agree on a common text, it must then be approved by a three-fifths majority of parliamentarians meeting in Congress at Versailles. The timetable leaves little room; several lawmakers judge that final adoption before the end of President Macron's term looks highly hazardous. If the constitutional amendment clears these hurdles, a subsequent organic law will fix the details of Corsica's new powers.

“legislate in the areas of transport, territorial development, the fight against land speculation or the status of the Corsican language.”