Corsican Separatism

THE STORY OF CORSICAN separatism rightfully begins in the history of France. In 1768, the island was acquired by King Louis XV from Italian Genoa. Under the dynastic politics of the era, it was only another transfer of territory, much as France had earlier ceded its colony of New France (Canada) to Great Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

However, to the Corsicans, they themselves were the citizens of a free republic. Pasquale Paoli declared that on “January 30, 1735, … Corsica is declared independent by Cunsulta of Orezza which voted the first Corsican constitution, the first modern democratic constitution. The legislative power is entrusted at an assembly made up of deputies selected by the people and the executive power is entrusted to a ...