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Monday 07 July 2003
Corsicans reject autonomy offer
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The French island of Corsica voted on Sunday by a small margin to reject an offer of limited independence. This report from Caroline Wyatt:
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Listen to the story
For decades, successive French governments have sought solutions to the Corsica problem; none has yet worked. This time, the government of Jacques Chirac had hoped the offer of a limited form of devolution would finally bring peace to the island, which has been wracked by violence for nearly thirty years. Corsica's narrow rejection of the new regional assembly is a bitter disappointment, especially for the French interior minister Nicholas Sarkozy, who'd campaigned hard for change. Responding to last night's result, he said the French government would respect the wishes of the Corsican people, but he called it a 'wasted opportunity'. The 'no' vote will also sadden those on the island who'd seen this limited measure of autonomy as the best chance to end the separatist campaign, while keeping Corsica French. But despite the government's enthusiasm for reform, a slight majority on the island preferred to keep the status quo. Some of those voting 'no' had feared the new assembly would give too much power to the separatists. Many bureaucrats on the island also worried about losing their jobs in the shake-up. Presumably, the 'no' vote may also mean the continuation of the nationalist campaign for full independence from France.
Caroline Wyatt, BBC, Paris
Listen to the words
successive
following one after another, without a break
none has yet worked
here, none of them has been successful so far
devolution
the transfer of authority or power from a central government or organisation to local
governments or smaller organisations
wracked
if someone is wracked by something it causes them great suffering or pain
narrow rejection
refusal to accept, but by only a small number of votes
autonomy
self-government
separatist
a member of a group of people within a country who want to establish their own separate government
the status quo
the situation that exists at a particular time. If you keep the status quo, you continue with the situation that already exists, instead of changing it
bureaucrats
officials who work in a large administrative system, especially those who seem to
follow rules and procedures too strictly
shake-up
a very great number of changes in an organisation or system
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