Amid more than a week of unrest on the French island of Corsica, Paris has said it is ready to discuss its autonomy.
According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmani, the talks will begin if Emmanuel Macron is re-elected president.
Demonstrations in support of local nationalist Ivan Kolonna, who was sentenced by a court to life imprisonment for the murder of a prefect in Corsica, continue.
In early March, Colonna was beaten by another prisoner and taken to hospital in critical condition. Protests in support of him were accompanied by clashes between police and protesters, injuring more than 90 people. 70 of them are law enforcement officers.
The French Interior Minister said that the government is ready to discuss the autonomy of Corsica, but the question of what this autonomy consists of must be answered: «We must discuss it. The precondition for discussions is the restoration of order and tranquility on the island.
Located in the Mediterranean Sea, the island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It has a special status — the territorial community of Corsica. Until 2011, the population of the region was 314,000.
