Corsican Separatist Leader Killed at Mother's Funeral
In a shocking incident that has reverberated across Corsica, Alain Orsoni, a former leader of the Corsican separatist movement and ex-president of the AC Ajaccio football club, was fatally shot at his mother's funeral in the village of Vero. The 71-year-old was struck by a single bullet to the chest shortly after the burial service on Monday, at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Authorities have indicated that the fatal shot was fired from a considerable distance, with Ajaccio prosecutor Nicolas Septe stating that it originated from several hundred metres away. "He was hit in the heart by a single shot, a long-distance strike," Septe explained to the French press.
The funeral service, attended by mourners, was abruptly interrupted by the sound of gunfire, leading Father Roger Polge, who presided over the ceremony, to express disbelief at the violent turn of events. "What is happening in our home?" Polge asked when recalling the moments after the shooting. Orsoni had travelled from Nicaragua, where he had been residing, to pay his respects to his late mother in his native village, located around 30 kilometers north of Ajaccio.
The investigation into Orsoni's death has been taken over by the National Anti-Organised Crime Prosecutor's Office, a newly established tribunal dedicated primarily to addressing issues related to drug trafficking and human trafficking. This case marks one of the first significant tasks for the office since its launch on January 5. In collaboration with the Marseille inter-regional specialised court, investigators have initiated a probe into murder by an organised gang and criminal association.
Alain Orsoni had a storied history within the Corsican nationalist movement. He became a prominent figure in the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC) during the 1980s, stepping into leadership after his brother Guy was killed in 1983. In 1990, he founded the Movement for Self-Determination (MPA) amid a split in the nationalist faction, although critics derisively referred to it as the "Movement for Business Affairs." His political career saw him elected to Corsica's territorial assembly in 1986.
Orsoni's life has also been marked by periods of exile. Following violent infighting amongst Corsican nationalists in 1996, he fled to various countries, including the United States and Nicaragua, before returning to Corsica in 2008. Upon his return, he assumed leadership of AC Ajaccio, a position he held during pivotal moments for the club, including its promotion to Ligue 1 in 2022 and its subsequent relegation from national competitions in 2023 due to ongoing financial troubles.
His son, Guy Orsoni, who was named after his uncle, is already noted for his connections to Corsican organised crime. Guy received a thirteen-year prison sentence in May 2025 for a botched assassination attempt on Pascal Porri, a suspect linked to the Petit Bar gang, highlighting the extent of familial ties to crime and violence in Corsica.
The killing of Alain Orsoni is among the most significant assassinations on the island since the murder of lawyer Antoine Sollacaro in 2012. Sollacaro had served as Orsoni's attorney, and while an individual was sentenced for the assassination, the alleged mastermind, Jacques Santoni, believed to lead the Petit Bar gang, remains at large. A longstanding rivalry exists between the Orsoni clan and the Petit Bar gang, reflecting the tumultuous landscape of Corsican organised crime.
Although the age of armed separatism in Corsica has largely come to a halt, political nationalism continues to wield substantial influence in local governance. Pro-autonomy parties have gained prominence within Corsica's territorial assembly, following a series of reforms that have incrementally expanded the island's administrative autonomy since the early 2000s. Nonetheless, there remain persistent calls for greater self-determination from a segment of Corsica's population, which numbers approximately 350,000.
The ripple effects of Orsoni's murder on Corsican society are yet to be fully understood. It has prompted both shock and concern about the ongoing cycle of violence linked to criminal enterprises on the island. Observers and officials alike are left questioning whether this tragic event will catalyse a critical reassessment of the entrenched attitudes towards violence and crime in Corsican culture.
As Corsica struggles to navigate its complex identity, the aftermath of Orsoni's assassination may become a crucial moment for reflection and potential change. The small island continues to confront challenges posed by various criminal organisations, which have perpetrated violence throughout its recent history. It remains to be seen if this incident might spark a reckoning about the intersections between crime, politics, and society in Corsica today. #Corsica #AlainOrsoni #Crime #Nationalism #CorsicanPolitics
