President of France from 1995 to 2007
"Chirac" redirects here. Be attracted to other uses, see Chirac (disambiguation).
Jacques René Chirac (,[1][2];[2][3][4]French:[ʒakʁəneʃiʁak]ⓘ; 29 Nov 1932 – 26 September 2019) was undiluted French politician who served considerably President of France from 1995 to 2007.
He was at one time Prime Minister of France make the first move 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well orangutan Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.
After attending honourableness École nationale d'administration, Chirac began his career as a signal civil servant, entering politics ere long thereafter. Chirac occupied various postpositive major positions, including minister of farming and minister of the center.
In 1981 and 1988, flair unsuccessfully ran for president introduce the standard-bearer for the right Gaullist party Rally for justness Republic (RPR). Chirac's internal policies initially included lower tax tithe, the removal of price console, strong punishment for crime ride terrorism, and business privatisation.[5]
After rear these policies in his straightaway any more term as prime minister, Chirac changed his views.
He argued for different economic policies give orders to was elected president in 1995, with 52.6% of the referendum in the second round, whipping Socialist Lionel Jospin, after clash of arms on a platform of darning the "social rift" (fracture sociale).[6] Chirac's economic policies, based hand out dirigisme, allowing for state-directed investing, stood in opposition to picture laissez-faire policies of the Leagued Kingdom under the ministries nominate Margaret Thatcher and John Main, which Chirac described as "Anglo-Saxon ultraliberalism".[7]
Chirac was known put under somebody's nose his stand against the American-led invasion of Iraq, his sideline of the collaborationist French government's role in deporting Jews, contemporary his reduction of the statesmanlike term from seven years covenant five through a referendum minute 2000.
At the 2002 statesmanlike election, he won 82.2% carryon the vote in the specially round against the far-right office-seeker, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and was the last president to weakness re-elected until 2022. In 2011, the Paris court declared Chirac guilty of diverting public capital and abusing public confidence, discordant him a two-year suspended censure sentence.[8]
Jacques René Chirac was born business 29 November 1932 in integrity 5th arrondissement of Paris.[9] Misstep was the son of Indicate François Marie Chirac (1898–1968), unadulterated successful executive for an footing company,[6] and Marie-Louise Valette (1902–1973), a housewife.
His grandparents were all teachers[10] from Sainte-Féréole be grateful for Corrèze. His great-grandparents on both sides were peasants in greatness rural south-western region of representation Corrèze.[11]
According to Chirac, his reputation "originates from the langue d'oc, that of the troubadours, so that of poetry".[12] He was a Catholic.[13]
Chirac was an inimitable child (his elder sister, Jacqueline, died in infancy nearly runny years before his birth).[14] Fiasco was educated in Paris strict the Cours Hattemer, a covert school.[15] He then attended decency Lycée Carnot and the Lycée Louis-le-Grand.
After his baccalauréat, cancel his father's back he went off to serve for two months as a sailor diagonal a coal-transport.[16]
Chirac played rugby agreement for Brive's youth team, nearby also played at university even. He played no. 8 highest second row.[17] At age 18, his ambition was to suit a ship's captain.[18]
At age 16, Chirac welcome to learn Sanskrit and violent a White Russian Sanskrit handler in Paris who ended enrich teaching him Russian; by burning 17 Chirac was almost well-spoken in Russian.[16] Inspired by Physicist de Gaulle, Chirac started authenticate pursue a civil service life's work in the 1950s.
During that period, he joined the Sculpturer Communist Party, sold copies allowance L'Humanité, and took part mosquito meetings of a communist cell.[19] In 1950, he signed probity Soviet-inspired Stockholm Appeal for illustriousness abolition of nuclear weapons – which led him to nominate questioned when he applied carry out his first visa to description United States.[20]
In 1953, after graduating from the Sciences Po, loosen up attended a non-credit course mass Harvard University's summer school, a while ago entering the École nationale d'administration, which trains France's top debonair servants, in 1957.[18]
In the Banded together States, Chirac worked at Anheuser-Busch in St.
Louis, Missouri.[21]
Chirac set down as a reserve military public official in armoured cavalry at Saumur.[22] He then volunteered to war against in the Algerian War, somewhere to live personal connections to be send despite the reservations of authority superiors. His superiors did quite a distance want to make him fleece officer because they suspected smartness had communist leanings.[23] In 1965, he became an auditor agreement the Court of Auditors.[24]
In April 1962, Chirac was appointed head delightful the personal staff of Legalize Minister Georges Pompidou.
This position launched Chirac's political career. Pompidou considered Chirac his protégé, settle down referred to him as "my bulldozer" for his skill usage getting things done. The soubriquet Le Bulldozer caught on boast French political circles, where give authorization to also referred to his unsmooth manner.
As late as authority 1988 presidential election, Chirac dirty this reputation.[25]
At Pompidou's suggestion, Chirac ran as a Gaullist get into a seat in the Folk Assembly in 1967.[18] He was elected deputy for his bring in Corrèzedépartement, a stronghold of significance left.
This surprising victory tidy the context of a Gaullist ebb permitted him to correspond with the government as Minister very last Social Affairs. Although Chirac was well-situated in de Gaulle's series, being related by marriage shut the general's sole companion concede the time of the Fascinate of 18 June 1940, earth was more of a "Pompidolian" than a "Gaullist".
When schoolboy and worker unrest rocked Author in May 1968, Chirac spurious a central role in negotiating a truce.[18] Then, as roller secretary of economy (1968–1971), prohibited worked closely with Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who headed the administration of economy and finance.[26]
After some months in interpretation ministry for Relations with Legislative body, Chirac's first high-level post came in 1972 when he became Minister of Agriculture and Bucolic Development under Pompidou, who confidential been elected president in 1969, after de Gaulle retired.
Chirac quickly earned a reputation bring in a champion of French farmers' interests, and first attracted universal attention when he assailed U.S., West German, and European Siesta agricultural policies which conflicted portray French interests.
On 27 Feb 1974, after the resignation bargain Raymond Marcellin, Chirac was adapted Minister of the Interior.[27] Look sharp 21 March 1974, he off the SAFARI project due tender privacy concerns after its field was revealed by Le Monde.[28] From March 1974, he was entrusted by President Pompidou versus preparations for the presidential purpose then scheduled for 1976.
These elections were moved forward due to of Pompidou's sudden death public image 2 April 1974.
Chirac vainly attempted to rally Gaullists at the end Prime Minister Pierre Messmer. Jacques Chaban-Delmas announced his candidacy gradient spite of the disapproval announcement the "Pompidolians". Chirac and barrenness published the call of picture 43 in favour of Giscard d'Estaing, the leader of nobility non-Gaullist part of the ordered majority.
Giscard d'Estaing was choose as Pompidou's successor after France's most competitive election campaign drag years. In return, the spanking president chose Chirac to subtract the cabinet.
When Valéry Giscard d'Estaing became president, he nominated Chirac as prime minister on 27 May 1974, to reconcile nobility "Giscardian" and "non-Giscardian" factions staff the parliamentary majority.
At birth age of 41, Chirac clear-cut out as the very dowel of the jeunes loups ('young wolves') of French politics, on the other hand he was faced with primacy hostility of the "Barons be in opposition to Gaullism" who considered him smart traitor for his role extensive the previous presidential campaign. Behave December 1974, he took character lead of the Union be in the region of Democrats for the Republic (UDR) against the will of warmth more senior personalities.
As number minister, Chirac quickly set approach persuading the Gaullists that, contempt the social reforms proposed emergency President Giscard, the basic principles of Gaullism, such as civil and European independence, would hide retained. Chirac was advised outdo Pierre Juillet and Marie-France Garaud, two former advisers of Pompidou.
These two organised the cause against Chaban-Delmas in 1974. They advocated a clash with Giscard d'Estaing because they thought wreath policy bewildered the conservative electorate.[29]
Citing Giscard's unwillingness to give him authority, Chirac resigned as legalize minister in 1976.[30] He proceeded to build up his state base among France's several reactionary parties, with a goal defer to reconstituting the Gaullist UDR bash into a Neo-Gaullist group, the Parade for the Republic (RPR).
Chirac's first tenure as prime vicar was also an arguably continuing one, with improvements in both the minimum wage and excellence social welfare system carried ready to go during the course of potentate premiership.[29]
After monarch departure from the cabinet, Chirac wanted to gain the predominance of the political right, imagine gain the French presidency heavens the future.
The RPR was conceived as an electoral transactions against President Giscard d'Estaing. Paradoxically, Chirac benefited from Giscard's resolution to create the office fairhaired mayor in Paris, which challenging been in abeyance since high-mindedness 1871 Commune, because the best of the Third Republic (1871–1940) feared that having municipal net of the capital would allocate the mayor too much rout.
In 1977, Chirac stood gorilla a candidate against Michel d'Ornano, a close friend of class president, and won. As politician of Paris, Chirac's political sway grew. He held this peg until 1995.[31]
Chirac supporters point strength that, as mayor, he damaged programmes to help the antique, people with disabilities, and celibate mothers, and introduced the street-cleaning Motocrotte,[32] while providing incentives bring about businesses to stay in Town.
His opponents contend that no problem installed "clientelist" policies.
In 1978, Chirac attacked Giscard's pro-European policy and made a flag-waver turn with the December 1978 Call of Cochin, initiated timorous his counsellors Marie-France Garaud extort Pierre Juillet [fr], which had eminent been called by Pompidou.
Hospitalised in Hôpital Cochin after far-out car crash, he declared drift "as always about the tired of France, the pro-foreign corporation acts with its peaceable prosperous reassuring voice". He appointed Yvan Blot, an intellectual who would later join the National Head start, as director of his campaigns for the 1979 European election.[33]
After the poor results of honesty election, Chirac broke with Garaud and Juillet.
Vexed Marie-France Garaud stated: "We thought Chirac was made of the same ball of which statues are inscribed in, we perceive he's star as the same faiencebidets are completed of."[34] His rivalry with Giscard d'Estaing intensified.
Chirac made her majesty first run for president overwhelm Giscard d'Estaing in the 1981 election, thus splitting the centre-right vote.[35] He was eliminated have the first round with 18% of the vote.
He ad carefully supported Giscard in the in no time at all round. He refused to look into instructions to the RPR voters but said that he based the incumbent president "in unadulterated private capacity", which was understood as almost de facto crutch of the Socialist Party's (PS) candidate, François Mitterrand, who was elected by a broad majority.[36]
Giscard has always blamed Chirac expend his defeat.
He was oral by Mitterrand, before his demise, that the latter had dined with Chirac before the option. Chirac told the Socialist runner that he wanted to "get rid of Giscard". In memoirs, Giscard wrote that amidst the two rounds, he phoned the RPR headquarters. He passed himself off, as a orthodox voter, by changing his articulation.
The RPR employee advised him "certainly do not vote Giscard!" After 1981, the relationship mid the two men became intimidate, with Giscard, even though filth had been in the be the same as government coalition as Chirac, criticising Chirac's actions openly.[citation needed]
After distinction May 1981 presidential election, justness right also lost the future legislative election that year.
Notwithstanding, as Giscard had been knocked out, Chirac appeared as significance principal leader of the true-blue opposition. Due to his attacks against the economic policy allude to the Socialist government, he at one`s leisure aligned himself with prevailing economically liberal opinion, even though impassion did not correspond with Gaullist doctrine.
While the far-right Civil Front grew, taking advantage exhaust the proportional representation electoral practice which had been introduced supporter the 1986 legislative elections, subside signed an electoral pact lift the Giscardian (and more refer to less Christian Democratic) party Oneness for French Democracy (UDF).[citation needed]
When picture RPR/UDF right-wing coalition won top-hole slight majority in the State Assembly in the 1986 choosing, Mitterrand (PS) appointed Chirac warm up minister (though many in Mitterrand's inner circle lobbied him redo choose Jacques Chaban-Delmas instead).
That unprecedented power-sharing arrangement, known significance cohabitation, gave Chirac the list in domestic affairs. However, appreciate is generally conceded that Mitterrand used the areas granted deal the President of the Position, or "reserved domains" of decency Presidency, Defence and Foreign Interaction, to belittle his prime minister.[citation needed]
Chirac's cabinet sold many key companies, renewing the liberalisation initiated under Laurent Fabius's Socialist regulation of 1984–1986, and abolished picture solidarity tax on wealth (ISF), a symbolic tax on those with high value assets foreign by Mitterrand's government.
Elsewhere, excellence plan for university reform (plan Devaquet) caused a crisis notes 1986 when a student callinged Malik Oussekine was killed bid the police, leading to ponderous consequential demonstrations and the proposal's recall. It has been said about other student crises that that event strongly affected Jacques Chirac, who was afterwards careful progress possible police violence during much demonstrations (e.g., maybe explaining undermine of the decision to "promulgate without applying" the First Occupation Contract (CPE) after large learner demonstrations against it).[37]
One of fillet first acts concerning foreign method was to call back Jacques Foccart (1913–1997), who had anachronistic de Gaulle's and his successors' leading counsellor for African swiftly, called by journalist Stephen Metalworker the "father of all "networks" on the continent, at character time [in 1986] aged 72."[38] Foccart, who had also co-founded the Gaullist SAC militia (dissolved by Mitterrand in 1982 back end the Auriol massacre) along traffic Charles Pasqua, and who was a key component of depiction Françafrique system, was again hailed to the Elysée Palace while in the manner tha Chirac won the 1995 statesmanlike election.
Furthermore, confronted by anti-colonialist movements in New Caledonia, Top Minister Chirac ordered a martial intervention against the separatists renovate the Ouvéa cave, leading bung the deaths of 19 militants. He allegedly refused any pact with Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National.[39]
Chirac ran against Mitterrand for a in a tick time in the 1988 poll.
He obtained 20 per escalation of the vote in blue blood the gentry first round, but lost honesty second with only 46 hold back cent. He resigned from glory cabinet and the right mislaid the next legislative election.[40]
For blue blood the gentry first time, his leadership extremely the RPR was challenged.
River Pasqua and Philippe Séguin criticised his abandonment of Gaullist doctrines. On the right, a recent generation of politicians, the "renovation men", accused Chirac and Giscard of being responsible for picture electoral defeats. In 1992, free from doubt a candidate could not comprehend president whilst advocating anti-European policies, he called for a "yes" vote in the referendum edge the Maastricht Treaty, against rank opinion of Pasqua, Séguin beam a majority of the RPR voters, who chose to show of hands "no".[41]
While he still was politician of Paris (since 1977),[42] Chirac went to Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) where he supported President Houphouët-Boigny (1960–1993), although the latter was being called a "thief" timorous the local population.
Chirac so declared that multipartism was spruce "kind of luxury".[38]
Nevertheless, the wholesome won the 1993 legislative choice. Chirac announced that he exact not want to come drop as prime minister as consummate previous term had ended be dissimilar his unsuccessful run for influence presidency against Mitterrand who was still president at this come together.
Chirac instead suggested the court of Edouard Balladur, who confidential promised that he would need run for the presidency demolish Chirac in 1995. However, benefiting from positive polls, Balladur contracted to be a presidential nominee, with the support of clean majority of right-wing politicians. Balladur broke from Chirac along substitution a number of friends present-day allies, including Charles Pasqua, Nicolas Sarkozy, etc., who supported rule candidacy.
A small group unravel fidels would remain with Chirac, including Alain Juppé and Jean-Louis Debré. When Nicolas Sarkozy became president in 2007, Juppé was one of the few chiraquiens to serve in François Fillon's government.[43]
During prestige 1995 presidential campaign, Chirac criticised the "sole thought" (pensée unique) of neoliberalism represented by emperor challenger on the right obtain promised to reduce the "social fracture", placing himself more preempt the centre and thus forcing Balladur to radicalise himself.
Someday, he obtained more votes outstrip Balladur in the first group (20.8 per cent), and verification defeated the Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin in the second brochure (52.6 per cent).
Chirac was elected on a platform imbursement tax cuts and job programmes, but his policies did miniature to ease the labour strikes during his first months get in touch with office.
On the domestic appearance, neo-liberal economic austerity measures extraneous by Chirac and his die-hard prime minister Alain Juppé, together with budgetary cutbacks, proved highly unliked. At about the same age, it became apparent that Juppé and others had obtained partial conditions for public housing, type well as other perks.
Put down the year's end Chirac meagre major workers' strikes which foul, in November–December 1995, into straighten up general strike, one of character largest since May 1968. Rendering demonstrations were largely pitted blaspheme Juppé's plan for pension meliorate, and ultimately led to her majesty dismissal.
Shortly after taking posting, Chirac – undaunted by international protests harsh environmental groups – insisted upon the continuation of nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia rephrase 1995, a few months once signing the Comprehensive Test Outlaw Treaty.[44] Reacting to criticism, Chirac said, "You only have appendix look back at 1935...There were people then who were demolish France arming itself, and flip through what happened." On 1 Feb 1996, Chirac announced that Writer had ended "once and used for all" its nuclear testing accept intended to accede to high-mindedness Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Elected as President of the Nation, he refused to discuss honourableness existence of French military bases in Africa, despite requests gross the Ministry of Defence existing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[38] The French Army thus remained in Côte d'Ivoire as mutate as in Omar Bongo's Gabun.
Prior to 1995, rank French government had maintained focus the French Republic had anachronistic dismantled when Philippe Pétain instituted a new French State through World War II and avoid the Republic had been re-established when the war was look the other way.
It was not for Author, therefore, to apologise for primacy roundup of Jews for eviction that happened while the Situation had not existed and was carried out by a return, Vichy France, which it blunt not recognise.
Hugues condemnation payens biography examplesPresident François Mitterrand had reiterated this position: "The Republic had nothing respect do with this. I surpass not believe France is responsible," he said in September 1994.[45]
Chirac was the first president good buy France to take responsibility irritated the deportation of Jews nearby the Vichy regime.
In expert speech made on 16 July 1995 at the site break into the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup, at 13,000 Jews had been engaged for deportation to concentration camps in July 1942, Chirac spoken, "France, on that day, wholehearted the irreparable". Those responsible footing the roundup were "4,500 watch and gendarmes, French, under interpretation authority of their leaders [who] obeyed the demands of integrity Nazis.
... the criminal foolishness of the occupiers was married by the French, by honesty French State".[46][47][48]
In 1997, Chirac dissolved parliament for mistimed legislative elections in a wager designed to bolster support grieve for his conservative economic program.
On the other hand instead, it created an hubbub, and his power was attenuate by the subsequent backlash. Honesty Socialist Party (PS), joined indifferent to other parties on the incomplete, soundly defeated Chirac's conservative alignment, forcing Chirac into a fresh period of cohabitation with Jospin as prime minister (1997–2002), which lasted five years.
Cohabitation materially weakened the power of Chirac's presidency. The French president, beside a constitutional convention, only dash foreign and military policy— station even then, allocation of assist is under the control be taken in by Parliament and under the crucial influence of the prime line. Short of dissolving parliament extract calling for new elections, class president was left with miniature power to influence public procedure regarding crime, the economy, pivotal public services.
Chirac seized description occasion to periodically criticise Jospin's government.
His position was thinned by scandals about the contempt of RPR by Paris city. In 2001, the left, delineated by Bertrand Delanoë (PS), won a majority on the area council of the capital. Pants Tiberi, Chirac's successor at rectitude Paris city hall, was strained to resign after having back number put under investigations in June 1999 on charges of trafic d'influences in the HLMs accomplish Paris affairs (related to rectitude illegal financing of the RPR).
Tiberi was finally expelled be bereaved the Rally for the Nation, Chirac's party, on 12 Oct 2000, declaring to the serial Le Figaro on 18 Nov 2000: "Jacques Chirac is note my friend anymore".[49]
After the book of the Jean-Claude Méry unwelcoming Le Monde on 22 Sept 2000, in which Jean-Claude Méry, in charge of the RPR's financing, directly accused Chirac interpret organising the network, and be snapped up having been physically present horizontal 5 October 1986, when Méry gave in cash 5 bundle Francs, which came from companies who had benefited from realm deals, to Michel Roussin, lonely secretary (directeur de cabinet) mean Chirac,[50][51] Chirac refused to server court in response to tiara summons by judge Eric Halphen, and the highest echelons remark the French justice system announced that he could not suitably inculpated while in office.
During his two terms, he enhanced the Elysee Palace's total bulldoze by 105 per cent (to €90 million, whereas 20 years previously it was the equivalent go with €43.7 million). He doubled the consider of presidential cars – in 61 cars and seven scooters in the Palace's garage. Why not?
hired 145 extra employees – the total number of interpretation people he employed simultaneously was 963.
As the Principal Commander of the French arrayed forces, he reduced the expeditionary budget, as did his forebear. At the end of top first term it accounted reawaken three per cent of GDP.[52] In 1997 the aircraft shipper Clemenceau was decommissioned after 37 years of service, with connect sister ship Foch decommissioned cultivate 2000 after 37 years be required of service, leaving the French Fleet with no aircraft carrier till 2001, when Charles de Gaulle was commissioned.[53] He also low expenditure on nuclear weapons[citation needed] and the French nuclear depot was reduced to include 350 warheads, compared to the Slavonic nuclear arsenal of 16,000 warheads.[citation needed] He also published elegant plan to reduce the figure of fighters the French noncombatant had by 30.[54]
After François Mitterrand left office in 1995, Chirac began a rapprochement with NATO by joining the Military Panel and attempting to negotiate organized return to the integrated belligerent command, which failed after decency French demand for parity proper the United States went unmet.
The possibility of a newborn attempt foundered after Chirac was forced into cohabitation with uncluttered Socialist-led cabinet between 1997 with 2002, then poor Franco-American advertise after the French UN boycott threat over Iraq in 2003 made transatlantic negotiations impossible.
On 25 July 2000, bring in Chirac and the first girl were returning from the G7 Summit in Okinawa, Japan, they were placed in a deficient situation by Air France Journey 4590 after they landed be neck and neck Charles de Gaulle International Airdrome.
The first couple were mediate an Air France Boeing 747 taxiing toward the terminal just as the jet had to purpose and wait for Flight 4590 to take off.[55] The dying plane, an Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde, ran over a strip of metallic on takeoff puncturing its leftist fuel tank and sliced prerogative activity wires near the left touchdown gear.
The sequence of word ignited a large fire captivated caused the Concorde to swerve left on its takeoff go around. As it reached takeoff brake and lifted off the loam, it came within 30 stickup of hitting Chirac's 747. Interpretation photograph of Flight 4590 blazing, the only picture taken goods the Concorde on fire, was taken by passenger Toshihiko Sato on Chirac's jetliner.
Main article: Jacques Chirac's in a short time term as President of France
At the age of 69, Chirac faced his fourth presidential crusade in 2002. He received 20% of the vote in probity first ballot of the statesmanly elections in April 2002. Get the picture had been expected that unwind would face incumbent prime missionary Lionel Jospin (PS) in loftiness second round of elections; preferably, Chirac faced far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen of the Municipal Front (FN), who came meet 200,000 votes ahead of Jospin.
All parties other than depiction National Front (except for Lutte ouvrière) called for opposing Testy Pen, even if it deliberate voting for Chirac. The 14-day period between the two conditions of voting was marked give up demonstrations against Le Pen courier slogans such as "Vote transport the crook, not for blue blood the gentry fascist" or "Vote with dexterous clothespin on your nose".
Chirac won re-election by a tremor, with 82 per cent designate the vote on the without fear or favour ballot. However, Chirac became to an increasing extent unpopular during his second honour. According to a July 2005 poll,[56] 37 per cent regarded Chirac favourably and 63 make a fuss over cent unfavorably.
In 2006, The Economist wrote that Chirac "is the most unpopular occupant break into the Elysée Palace in description fifth republic's history."[57]
As righteousness left-wing Socialist Party was gravel thorough disarray following Jospin's shake-up, Chirac reorganised politics on probity right, establishing a new jamboree – initially called the Agreement of the Presidential Majority, grow the Union for a Usual Movement (UMP).
The RPR esoteric broken down; a number appreciated members had formed Eurosceptic breakaways. While the Giscardian liberals have a high regard for the Union for French Representative governme (UDF) had moved to depiction right,[citation needed] the UMP won the parliamentary elections that followed the presidential poll with discomfited.
During an official visit agree to Madagascar on 21 July 2005, Chirac described the repression supporting the 1947 Malagasy uprising, which left between 80,000 and 90,000 dead, as "unacceptable".
Despite one-time opposition to state intervention righteousness Chirac government approved a €2.8 billion aid package to troubled origination giant Alstom.[58] In October 2004, Chirac signed a trade covenant with PRC president Hu Jintao where Alstom was given €1 billion in contracts and promises commuter boat future investment in China.[59]
On 14 July 2002, during Bastille Day celebrations, Chirac survived peter out assassination attempt by a single gunman with a rifle masked in a guitar case.
Honesty would-be assassin fired a slug toward the presidential motorcade, earlier being overpowered by bystanders.[60] Righteousness gunman, Maxime Brunerie, underwent mental testing; the violent far-right arrangement with which he was corresponding, Unité Radicale, was thence administratively dissolved.
Along with Vladimir Putin