France's former president Hollande inches towards a political comeback

The brutal killing of Yvan Colonna, a Corsican nationalist convicted of killing the top French official on the island back in 1998, has taken Macron's government by surprise. Colonna was seriously injured in jail by another inmate and later died of his wounds, sparking a wave of protests in Corsica against the government in Paris.

The unrest has prompted the French government to propose "autonomy" for Corsica for the first time in a bid to quell protests ahead of April's two-round presidential election. We take a look at decades of tumultuous ties between the French state and Napoleon's birthplace.

We have also inaugurated a new weekly segment: the French presidential election for dummies. We begin by putting the spotlight on the presidency itself, which is a uniquely powerful institution – some experts say it's the most powerful executive in the democratic world. FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot explains what powers the French president has.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app