France considers Guadeloupe autonomy as island ravaged by Covid riots

France’s minister for overseas territories, Sebastien Lecornu, has admitted Paris is considering calls from some elected officials in Guadeloupe for independence.

“According to them, Guadeloupe could better manage itself,” Lecornu said in a video address to islanders late Friday. “The government is ready to talk about this.”

The announcement comes after a week of violent rioting and looting in response to French authorities imposing a vaccine mandate on health workers - which saw French elite forces sent in to control the unrest that followed.