Baku Initiative Group condemns French Senate's rejection of Corsican autonomy

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) strongly condemns the French Senate's rejection of constitutional reform granting autonomy to Corsica, Executive Director Abbas Abbasov said.

Report informs that Abbasov made the remarks in a statement to the media concerning the Senate's decision.

"As the Baku Initiative Group, we strongly condemn the French Senate's rejection of constitutional reform granting autonomy to Corsica. This decision is yet another manifestation of the colonial mindset that still prevails in French political circles, blatant disrespect for the will of the Corsican people and the deep gulf between Paris's statements on peoples' right to self-determination and its actual policies," he said.

Abbasov said the events in the French Senate on October 26, 2026, once again demonstrated that the Macron administration was unwilling to accept the Corsican people's desire to determine their political future, preserve their national identity and exercise self-government in their homeland.

"It is unacceptable to disregard more than four years of political negotiations, the agreements reached and the will expressed by Corsica's democratically elected representatives in this way. In particular, removing provisions recognizing Corsicans' distinct historical, linguistic and cultural identity, as well as their special attachment to their homeland, from the bill demonstrates how reluctant the French political elite is to recognize the Corsican people's collective identity.

"On the one hand, France seeks to lecture the world on democracy, human rights and the freedom of peoples. On the other, it views even the most basic political demands of peoples in territories under its control as a threat.

"Portraying the Corsican people's demand for autonomy as a threat to France's unity is particularly absurd. Preserving their language, culture, historical identity and political powers is a people's fundamental right. The real threat lies in systematically rejecting these legitimate demands and sacrificing peoples' political will to the interests of the central government.

"The Baku Initiative Group calls on the French authorities to respect the legitimate will of the Corsican people, recognize their political, cultural and linguistic rights, honor the agreements reached and demonstrate genuine political will on autonomy. We also urge the international community, human rights organizations and relevant international institutions not to remain indifferent to the French state's unjust treatment of the Corsican people's legitimate political demands."