Emmanuel Macron estimated this Thursday that“now a working process must be set in motion” on the autonomy of Corsica, while at the same time the Minister of the Interior assured to engage “the word of the State” in the discussions which will open with the nationalist leaders. Gérald Darmanin who said he was ready to offer a “Polynesian-style status”. But what is it precisely?
A status of broad autonomy
French Polynesia has a special regime that allows this remote Pacific territory, with less than 300,000 inhabitants, to have great latitude to manage its affairs. After various institutional changes, since 2004, an organic law made French Polynesia an overseas country within the French Republic, governed by article 74 of the Constitution.
The law recalls that the State remains competent for all matters relating to the sovereign (justice, security, defence, or even foreign policy)but that everything else, on the other hand, falls within the competence of the community. (labour law, environment, planning, health, etc.).
“Preferential measures in favor of its population”
Endowed with a government (the executive) and an assembly, Polynesia is free to legislate, it can thus adopt so-called laws of the country, but under the control of the Council of State. It may also adopt, specifies the law, “preferential measures in favor of its population in terms of employment or protection of land assets”.
For the constitutionalist, Wanda Mastor, however, it is not a real autonomy, but a very thorough decentralization, because what are called laws are in fact administrative acts. Could this status be suitable for Corsica? Answer in the next few weeks?