As it has become common in August, the town of Corti (Corsica) has been the meeting point of the Corsican pro-independence movement within the framework of the Corti International Meeting. The outcome of the meeting has been the establishment by pro-sovereignty supporters of the two main issues their electoral campaign is going to deal with: firstly, the proposal regarding a "Corsican citizenship", which was outlined for the first time last year, and secondly, a sustainable development plan based on the island's own identity as an alternative to the PADDUC (Construction and Sustainable Development Plan of Corsica), already defunct.

Officials of Corsica Libera, the new party into which four pro-independence forces have merged -Corsica Nazione, Rinnovu, Accolta Naziunale Corsa and Strada Dritta- have taken the opportunity to specify some of the aspects regarding Corsican citizenship during the international Meeting held on August 8-9. New arrangement would grant citizenship only to people born in Corsica or people born abroad with a minimum of 10 years of residence in the island. As AFP reports, Corsican citizenship would be indispensable to vote and acquire property.

The second main proposal which has been put forward is called Corsica 21, and it is an alternative to the PADDUC plan, which was already withdrawn in the Corsican Assembly by Corsican president Ange Santini due to opposition by nationalists, pro-independence supporters and ecologists. Jean-Guy Talamoni, leader of Corsica Libera, has said that Corsica 21 is a proposal "granting sustainable development and promotion of the Corsican identity and environmental heritage". Corse Matin has quoted Benedetti as saying that former plan (PADDUC), endorsed "plundering" of the island.

Solidarity with trade-unionists from New Caledonia

Trade unions from Corsica, Brittany, Basque Country, Guadeloupe and New Caledonia have signed a manifesto calling for Kanak trade unionists Gérard Jodar and other 7 trade unionists to be released from prison. They were sentenced to one year due to conflict between pro-independence trade union USTKE and New Caledonian airline Aircal. The manifesto says imprisonment is the result of "colonial" policies practiced by the French state, which "serve the interests of capitalists and exploiters".

Further information:

• Radio Alta Frequenza: La question de la citoyenneté au coeur des Ghjurnate Internaziunale di Corti
• Corse Matin: Le contre-Padduc de Corsica Libera développé hier à Corte
• L'Express: Les indépendantistes corses présentent leur projet de société
• Le Monde: Les indépendantistes veulent une "citoyenneté corse"

Further information in Corsica profile and in Nations and peoples today: Corsica