Muriel Jourda visits Corsica

Muriel Jourda, president of the Senate's Law Commission and LR senator from Morbihan, visited the Corsican Assembly on Thursday to examine the "draft constitutional law for an autonomous Corsica within the Republic." The visit was part of the Senate's process to review the proposed law, which aims to grant Corsica greater self-governance while remaining part of France.

Meetings with Corsican officials

During her visit, Jourda met with several key figures, including Gilles Simeoni, the executive councilor responsible for the autonomy process and mayor of Bastia, Gilles Giovannangeli, president of the Corsican Executive Council, and other vice-presidents of the Corsican Assembly. The day also included hearings with political group leaders, a lunch with the prefects of Corsica and Haute-Corse, and meetings with representatives from the two mayors' associations.

Consultation on constitutional law

Jourda emphasized that the purpose of the visit was to gather input from a wide range of elected officials in Corsica on the constitutional law. She had sent a questionnaire to each interlocutor 48 hours in advance, containing 14 detailed questions. These included contentious issues such as the recognition of a Corsican community in the Constitution and the granting of normative power, which could lead to conflicts between different levels of government.

Previous concerns remain unresolved

Jourda noted that these questions had been raised in a previous meeting with the minister for decentralization, Françoise Gatel, but the answers had not satisfied her. She indicated that she would not comment on the outcomes of the day's meetings but would reserve her conclusions for her Law Commission. The Senate's Law Commission has been reconstituted after recent senatorial elections and faces a tight schedule.

Senate's role in the process

Jourda acknowledged the Senate's role as the Upper House, which represents local collectivities and is used to thoroughly consider issues before making decisions. The examination of the draft law will begin on October 21, with debates expected to last half a day. The Senate's approval is a critical step in the process, as the law must be passed by the Senate and other assemblies.

Positive reception of the discussions

Gilles Simeoni praised the cordial and in-depth exchanges during the meeting, noting that the discussions covered the origins of the text, the meaning of certain terms, and the expectations of Corsica. He described the meeting as extremely useful and emphasized the importance of the constitutional revision and the upcoming organic law that will define the details of autonomy.

Commitment to the adopted text

Gilles Giovannangeli, president of the Corsican Executive Council, shared Simeoni's positive assessment, highlighting that the meeting reaffirmed the text as a result of a political compromise between the Corsican Assembly and the government. He emphasized the need for the text to be voted on as it was adopted by the National Assembly, without reduction, and the importance of transferring competences along with the necessary fiscal and budgetary means.

Challenges ahead for the Senate

The challenge remains to convince a majority in the Senate, as the points of divergence with the senatorial right are strong. Simeoni expressed cautious optimism, noting the need to obtain a favorable vote from the Senate and subsequent votes from the two assemblies and the Congress. Giovannangeli expressed confidence in achieving a majority in the Senate and emphasized the importance of the vote on October 26.