At a time when Corsica and New Caledonia are negotiating special statutes with Paris based on the rationale of “à la carte” administration, what do the French think of this policy of differentiation aimed at adapting public action to local geographical, historical or socio-cultural specificities?
Fifty years after the events of Aléria (August 21, 1975), which marked the birth of Corsican nationalism and initiated the first wave of decentralization, what is the state of public opinion on decentralization and regionalist demands, and in particular on the draft law soon to grant the Corsica “autonomy within the Republic”?
To answer these questions, Ifop has carried out a major survey on behalf of the Régions et Peuples Solidaires (R&PS) movement. The aim of the survey is to provide information on trends in public opinion over nearly 30 years, as well as reliable data for the regions with strong identities (Alsace, Brittany, Northern Catalonia, Corsica, Northern Basque Country, Pays de Savoie) most concerned by these issues.
France is currently experiencing a major turning point in its relationship with territorial organization. Far from being confined to militants, the desire for greater regional power is becoming more widespread, and is asserting itself as a transparent demand. Whereas in 2012, only half of French people felt that local authorities lacked power, 68% now share this opinion. This desire for decentralization cuts across all social and political categories, with particularly high rates among senior citizens (73%), rural areas (75%) and Marine Le Pen voters (79%). It is accompanied by a plebiscite in favor of adapting laws to local realities on the ground, supported by 73% of French people, and a growing interest in federalism: 71% are in favor, a proportion unthinkable just a few decades ago, particularly in Alsace (86%), Brittany (78%) and Corsica (76%).
This trend is also reflected in a reconsideration of the regional map drawn up in 2015. The redrawing of the map desired by François Hollande is widely rejected: 68% of French people would like to see a reform that takes account of historical and cultural specificities. In the territories “mistreated” by this reform, the rejection is massive: 84% in Alsace, 72% in Brittany. Alsace epitomizes this revolt, with 80% of its inhabitants calling for an exit from the Grand Est, compared with 68% in 2019. In Corsica, three quarters of residents support the autonomy bill, a rate that rises to 87% among young people. The trend is repeated elsewhere, such as in Savoie, where 51% of residents want a specific region (compared with 41% in 2000), or in Brittany, where 48% want the Loire-Atlantique region to be attached. On a national scale, 51% of French people approve of Corsican autonomy, while the creation of a special status for the Basque Country is evenly divided (50% in favor).
At the same time, cultural demands enjoy exceptionally stable and strong support. Official recognition of regional languages is supported by 77% of French people, a level virtually unchanged since 1999, and which reaches new heights in the regions concerned: 93% in Corsica, 91% in the Basque Country, 90% in Alsace. Schools are seen as the central vehicle for this transmission: 84% of French people are in favor of teaching regional history, and 81% want every pupil to be able to learn a regional language. In regions with a strong identity, the idea of compulsory teaching is gaining ground, with 76% support in Corsica, 78% in Alsace and 66% in the Basque Country. This gradual institutionalization illustrates a desire to preserve and transmit these particularities beyond political cleavages or fads.
Behind this rise in regionalism is an almost profound rejection of centralism. Nine out of ten French people feel that the central state is too disconnected from local realities, and 82% denounce media coverage that is too focused on Paris. Only 35% feel that the government takes the needs of their region into account, with critical levels in Catalonia (24%) and Corsica (30%). This mistrust feeds a growing assertion of identity: 27% of French people now say they are mainly attached to their region, compared to 23% in 2011, and as high as 57% in Corsica and 47% in Brittany. In some territories, regional identity even exceeds national identity, with 54% of Corsicans considering themselves Corsican first and foremost.
Far from being mere folklore or the preserve of militant minorities, this regionalist revival is asserting itself as a genuine majority dynamic that is prompting a rethink of French territorial organization. As François Kraus, Director of Ifop’s Politics and Current Affairs Department, points out, “the demand for decentralization now extends beyond militant circles, cutting across all generations and political currents. Certain aspirations, such as the recognition of regional languages, are proving remarkably stable over time, a sign of their deep roots in national political culture. This evolution highlights the emergence of alternative territorial identities, capable of questioning the Jacobin model without calling into question the unity of the country. On the contrary, it outlines the contours of a plural France, where cultural and territorial diversity is perceived as an asset to be valued, particularly by the younger generations, heralding a lasting transformation in the relationship between the French and their territory”.
This opinion poll was conducted by Francois Kraus and Nicola Gadoni
