Gian Paolo Borghetti

Gian Paolo Borghetti (, , 23 June 1816 – 4 November 1897) was a Corsican writer, poet and politician. He has been described as "one of the greatest Corsican poets writing in Italian", and "one of the most brilliant Corsican intellectuals of the nineteenth century".

Early life Gian Paolo Borghetti was born in Talasani, Corsica on 23 June 1816

Political career At the announcement of the February Revolution he resigned his post and settled in Bastia, where he entered the political arena. Much influenced by his book Histoire des Girondins, Borghetti was a great admirer of Lamartine. In the first elections held under universal (male) suffrage on 13 and 14 May 1849 he was elected Conseiller Général of his home Canton of Pero-Casevecchie. Not one who was easily willing to compromise his ideals, he quickly became disappointed to see political intrigue and clientelism prevail over the general interest, and allowed himself to be replaced as Conseiller Général by one of his friends, justice of the peace Octavian Renucci, who kept the post until the end of the Second Empire. After the coup d'état of 2 December 1851, he abandoned public life. From 1849 to 1870, Borghetti remained in opposition to the regime. Unlike many others in his position he was not sent into exile, but he was frequently the subject of administrative harassment. When the Second Empire collapsed in 1870, Borghetti once again found favour with the authorities and was appointed (in Ajaccio) Chief of Staff of the new Prefect Dumenicu Francescu Ceccaldi.

Poetry While his professional and political activities often took precedence over his literary work during his lifetime, Gian Paolo Borghetti is today primarily remembered as one of the greatest Corsican poets writing in Italian.

Political ideas, personal philosophy and character A convinced republican, Gian Paolo Borghetti was equally inspired by the Christian and humanist traditions. Enjoying great popularity in the north of Corsica and having many useful political connections in the south, he could have aspired to a career at national level rather than limiting himself to the position of Conseiller Général in the elections of 1849, and having attained that position he could easily have used it for his own advancement, in a society which not only accepted but expected nothing else from those in public office. In both cases, however, he chose the general interest above personal profit. In October 1868 he lost his second son Eugenio, who was barely twenty years old,

In 1894, Borghetti lost the position he had held since 1878 as Director of Public Health in Bastia when David Raynal, Minister of the Interior of the Government of Jean Casimir-Perier (considered by the Radicals and Socialists as the président de la réaction), expressed his astonishment that "the Health Service in Bastia had been entrusted to an enemy of France!". For Borghetti this was the beginning of a terrible old age spent at the edge of poverty. He died in Bastia on 4 November 1897 in the most profound indifference. Few people attended his funeral, which was held in the small Capannelle chapel in Bastia.