François Durand Séraphin Santoni (Corsican: Francescu Durandu Serafina Santoni; Born 6 June 1960)[1] was a Corsican politician and guerrilla leader serving as the co-leader of the National Liberation Front of Corsica-Canal Historique (Fronte di Liberazione Naziunale di a Corsica-Canale Storicu, FLNC-CS) and one of the two secretary-generals of its political wing, A Cuncolta Naziunalista (later A Cuncolta Indipendentista) from 1990 to 1998, when he left both organizations to found his own political party, Presenza Naziunale, and its armed wing, Armata Corsa.

In 1978, while attending university in Aix-en-Provence, Santoni joined a group of other nationalist Corsican diaspora students to form an outreach for the FLNC on the French mainland.

Santoni oversaw crucial periods of the FLNC-CS, acting as negotiator with interior minister Jean-Louis Debré during the 1996 peace attempt, and heading foreign connections within the group.

In 1998, after a reorganisation of the group, Santoni began to grow dissatisfied with the direction of the organisation, taking particular issue with the rumour of mafia funding towards Charles Pieri.

Armata Corsa would face a war against an alliance of military groups on the island, spearheaded by the FLNC-CS (now under the sole control of Pieri).

[1] Santoni, radicalized by the heavily nationalistic Corsican diaspora in Aix-en-Provence, began to organize small bands of delinquents during his years in university.

[10] The process ultimately failed in October 1996, but Santoni would oppose the return to arms of the FLNC, stating the ceasefire should've been honoured "on principle".

The Ministry of Justice issues an appeal to heavily arm the guards around courthouses in Corsican territory to prevent attacks due to the refusal to release Santoni.

Santoni claimed this was due to increasing polarization, the refusal to adhere to the ceasefires during the Tralonca peace campaign, and alleged mafia connections in Charles Pieri's inner circle.

Armata Corsa becomes infamous as a violent, reckless organization, committing various racist attacks and kidnappings which earn it the label "terrorist".

These conflicts forced Santoni in an extreme state of paranoia, often explaining to reporters that he knows of alleged plots to kill him and that he is prepared to both die and avoid death.

Santoni's legacy today is still quite controversial, seen as both a nationalist folk hero of sorts and a paranoid, mentally unstable, and violent individual.