As the French Government vowed to intensify its crackdown on alleged corruption in Corsica, anti-corruption whistle-blower, farmer and trade unionist Pierre Alessandri has been killed on the French Mediterranean island.
“Several leads are being followed to determine the motive behind this criminal act, which clearly stems from prior preparation,” Nicolas Septe, the public prosecutor in the capital Ajaccio said on March 18, referencing “shots in the back”.
An investigation into what was being called an “assassination” has been launched by local police.
Alessandri was an advocate for Corsican farmers as General Secretary of Union Via Campagnola, the Corsican branch of French Farmers’ Confederation (Confédération Paysanne).
According to the anti-corruption organisation Anticor, Alessandri became well-known as a whistleblower in a case involving alleged fraud relating to European agricultural subsidies on the island.
“Back in 2016, Anticor reported possible misappropriation of European subsidies to farms, prompting the opening of an investigation. These potentially extremely serious facts were brought to light thanks to the courage of whistleblowers, including Pierre Alessandri,” the organisation stated.
Anticor also revealed Alessandri had been subjected to various threats.
The group expressed its sorrow in a statement, calling the killing a “tragedy” and linking it to the alleged “mafia-like and corrupt practices” that it claimed continued to plague Corsica, undermining the rule of law.
The organisation also highlighted the danger faced by whistleblowers, warning that their courage could cost them their lives.
“There is an urgent need to protect those who defend the public interest and to fight the mafia-like practices in Corsica,” Anticor added.
The Farmers’ Confederation also voiced its shock and anger: “We are incomprehensible and furious. Farmers and union leaders should not be targeted in this way.”
The incident occurred as the French Government pledged to take exceptional judicial measures to tackle alleged corruption and mafia activity on the island, including improved and tightened judiciary procedures.
France’s Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced a crackdown on mafia networks operating in Corsica, marking a major shift in the French state policy. https://t.co/Gakh845VAT
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) February 28, 2025
