Jacques Serais / Photo credit: Martin Bertrand / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
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10:21 p.m., March 12, 2024
While the government and local elected officials reached an agreement to achieve autonomy for Corsica on Tuesday March 12, other regions are making their demands stand out. The president of the Brittany region, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, notably called on Gérald Darmanin to “recognize the diversity of territories within a common framework”.
What if autonomous Corsica became an example for other French regions? An agreement was reached between the government and Corsican elected officials on the island’s proposed autonomy status. Even if it is still far from seeing the light of day, the text gives ideas to other territories, starting with Brittany.
“The national text alone is not enough”
The president of the Breton region, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, former member of the Socialist Party, reiterates his request to modify article 73 of the Constitution, which establishes that France is a unitary state, governed by the same policy. “It is a Breton proposal which is for the Republic of territories, to ensure that local authorities are able to propose organizations that are specific to them to take into account their local situation,” he explains.
“Brittany is not Corsica, Île-de-France is not Picardy and the mountains are not the plains,” continues Loïg Chesnais-Girard. “Each time, adaptations to national texts are necessary. ” However, according to him “the national text alone is not enough”.
The president of the Brittany Regional Council also believes that this measure would not weaken the unity of the Republic. For Bruno Retailleau, senator from Vendée and president of the Les Républicains group, it is quite the opposite. With Corsica’s autonomy project, “Pandora’s box is open”, he regrets.