Prominent Corsican Nationalist Alain Orsoni Shot Dead During Mother's Funeral

Alain Orsoni, a key figure in Corsican nationalism and former president of AC Ajaccio football club, was fatally shot on January 12, 2026, during the funeral of his mother in Vero, southern Corsica. Orsoni was 71 years old at the time of his death.

Orsoni had a significant history in Corsican politics as a member of the Front de libération nationale corse (FLNC) in the 1980s and later founder of the Mouvement pour l'autodétermination (MPA). He served as president of Ajaccio's football club from 2008 to 2015, taking over after the death of his friend Michel Moretti. His life was marked by political tensions and violence; he fled Corsica in 1996 due to internal nationalist conflicts and spent 13 years abroad in Florida, Nicaragua, and Spain, engaging in the gaming industry. He had survived a previous assassination attempt in 2008.

The Orsoni family has been deeply affected by violent incidents. Alain’s brother Guy was assassinated in 1983, and the legacy of violence continued as Alain named his son after Guy, with his son reportedly involved in criminal activities in Corsica. In 2012, following murders within the local community, Alain Orsoni claimed he was the target of a "media cabal."

The exact circumstances of his killing at the funeral remain undisclosed. The incident has sent shockwaves through the Corsican nationalist community and heightened concerns amid longstanding tensions related to Corsican autonomy and political violence.

Authorities are continuing investigations into the killing of this prominent and polarizing figure. Orsoni’s death marks a grim chapter in the turbulent history of Corsican nationalism.