Corsican nationalism calls for the island's autonomy in France, if not outright independence, following a movement developed since the 1920s with the establishment of the regionalist Corsican Action Party (Partitu Corsu d'Azzione/Parti Corse d'Action) in the town of Bastia. The 2003 Corsican referendum on increased devolution failed by a narrow majority. From the 1970s up until 2014, there have also been many bombings and aggravated assaults claimed by a militant group going by the name of FLNC. By 2012, polls showed more support for increased devolution within France (51%)[7] than for outright independence (stuck at 10–15%).[8]
Electoral performance
In the December 2015 French regional elections in Corsica, Pè a Corsica won 24 of 51 seats. Gilles Simeoni won the election for the position of Mayor of Bastia with 35.34% of the vote. Jean-Guy Talamoni, leader of Corsica Libera, said: "It’s been a 40-year-long march to arrive here. Corsica is not just a French administrative constituency – it’s a country, a nation, a people."[9]