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In brief

Guiana calls on France to devolve powers

Guianese president sees opportunity in “Corsican train”

 
Congress of elected representatives of Guiana, 26 March
Congress of elected representatives of Guiana, 26 March Author: Collectivité territoriale de Guyane
Elected representatives of Guiana unanimously supported, Saturday 26, to launch a process leading to the autonomy of this South American country within the French Republic. The Guianese authorities are set to tell so the French government and the candidates for the presidential election.

The president of the Territorial Collectivity of Guiana, Gabriel Serville, said it was necessary not to let “the Corsican train” pass, in reference to current calls for autonomy in the Mediterranean island, which the French government has said it is willing to negotiate.

A steering committee made up of elected Guianese representatives will draft a proposal for autonomy that will be presented to the French government after the April (presidential) and June (legislative) elections. On the table is the idea of legislative autonomy, as in New Caledonia and Polynesia.

The Territorial Collectivity of Guiana now has executive, but not legislative, autonomy.

The elected representatives have also supported the idea that the autonomy proposal should be validated through a popular vote.

In January 2020, Guianese elected representatives passed a resolution calling for a “sui generis status” to be negotiated with Paris. The demand did not materialise.