Thousands of Corsican nationalists protested in Ajaccio, the island's capital, for greater autonomy from France, Euronews reported.

The protest was an attempt to put pressure on Paris before the upcoming visit of French President Emmanuel Macron planned for this week. According to the DPA, 6,000 people were involved in the protest. France press cited the organizers of the procession, according to them there were between 22,000 and 25,000 people.

Unlike the Catalan separatists, Corsican nationalists do not want separation from France. Their requests include the Corsican language, close to the Italian, to be granted official status as well as amnesty for prisoners associated with the radical Corsica Front for National Liberation. Nationalists won local elections in December.