More than 600 activists attended yesterday the launching of Corsica Libera, the new party in which the bulk of Corsican pro-independence movement has merged. Corsica Nazione, the island's main pro-sovereignty party has joined Rinnovu, Accolta Naziunale Corsa and Strada Dritta to establish a new pro-independence movement which is able to "speak with one voice" and give a boost to leftist pro-independence political sectors, a movement which has lost momentum in recent years due to the impetus gained by autonomist alliance made up of Party of the Corsican Nation and A Chjama.

The aim of the founders of Corsica Libera is to achieve for Corsica a "status of independent nation" within the framework of the European Union, with "Malta and Cyprus" as models.

The new party will maintain Corsica Nazione's approach to the island's armed groups. Therefore, it will offer support to "political prisoners" and the "underground movement, which will sill step back when a political agreement for Corsica is reached", Corse Matin quotes, Rinnovu official Paul-Félix Benedetti as saying. The pro-independence party does not intend to collaborate "in condemning political violence" because, according to its supporters, it leads nowhere.

It is intended that 21 people will make up Corsica Libera's national council, namely top officials from the four constituent parties and a significant number of young people. The party has announced that it will run next elections for the Corsican Assembly due in 2010.

Emphasizing Corsica's sustainability
One of the striking points for the island's leftist nationalists in the last years has been the Construction and Sustainable Development Plan of Corsica (PADDUC, in French), a project promoted by Paris and the Corsican executive (controlled by French parties) which is believed to put the island's environment at risk. Corsica Libera has called for PADDUC to be removed and has put forward an alternative plan called Corsica 21 -a programme inspired by UN's Agenda 21 adopted in the Earth Summit of 1992.

Further information:

• Radio Alta Frequenza: Corsica Libera a été porté sur les fonds baptismaux hier à Corte
• Corse Matin: Les indépendantistes officialisent à Corte la création de Corsica Libera
• NouvelObs: Les indépendantistes corses se regroupent
• MónDivers: Els independentistes de Còrsega es reagrupen a Corsica Libera

See the Corsica profile for further information.