PARIS — Nationalists on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica have swept the first round of elections for a territorial assembly, taking nearly 45.4 per cent of the weekend vote. The single 63-seat assembly is to replace existing bodies as part of nationwide territorial reforms. A coalition led by Gilles Simeoni, mayor of the northern city of Bastia and a longtime Corsican leader figure, carried the victory in Sunday’s voting, according to final results Monday. The nationalists, seeking greater autonomy for Corsica but not full independence, made a mark in 2015 territorial elections, and their weekend victory was no surprise. The second round of Corsica’s voting is Sunday.

Source: National Post December 04, 2017 09:33 UTC