French minister of Home Affairs Manuel Valls says today in an interwiew to Corse-Matin that it is "unconceivable that there exists a second official language in a givern part of the territory" of the French Republic. The words are a blow to the motion that was passed in April 17th by the Corsican Assembly. The text, a proposal by the Council of the Corsican Language president Pierre Ghionga, foresees that both Corsican and French are declared co-official languages of Corsica.

According to Valls, "the Republic has given its place to the Corsican language and has recognized it. But there is only one language of the Republic, and it is French". The minister has said that the French government will officially speak about this when "the proposals bt the Corsican Assembly" will reach Paris.

So that the Corsican motion on co-official status can become a law, it is needed that the French National Assembly votes in favour of it and, most likely, an amendment to the Constitution is also required. The Corsican Assembly has no law-making powers.

(Image: Manuel Valls / picture by Jackolan1.)