Ajaccio, Corsica
Corsicans dealt a blow to the French government this week by narrowly defeating a referendum that would have given them more autonomy. Government officials lobbied hard for a yes vote, saying that Corsicans could seize control of their destiny by approving a new regional assembly with expanded powers. French leaders hoped the move would sap support from a small but violent separatist movement on the troubled Mediterranean island. But Corsican nationalists surprised them by backing the new body themselves, and calling it a step toward independence. Many voters said they were left confused, and the government failed to explain why change was needed. “I understood nothing,” one woman said.
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