France's Chirac signals departure from politics - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Anselme · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-2007

Quote:

French President Jacques Chirac has given his clearest signal yet that he will stand down in May, saying in a television interview that he envisages life after politics.

Chirac, in office since 1995, said in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday that he hoped to continue to serve France but "in another capacity."

"There is of course life after politics. Until death," Chirac told veteran interviewer Michel Drucker.

"I have always tried to be of service to the French people. If I do not have responsibilities of this nature, well, I will try to serve France in another capacity," Chirac said, according to excerpts of the interview published in Le Parisien newspaper on Thursday.

"You know, I am not one to live in the past," he said.

Chirac, 74, was joined by his wife Bernadette who candidly admitted that she will "very much miss" the Elysee Palace where the couple have lived for the past 12 years.

"Yes, I will very much miss this house, but I will adapt. One must accept that such is destiny," said Bernadette Chirac during the interview taped on Wednesday.

A former prime minister under presidents Valery Giscard D'Estaing and Francois Mitterrand, Chirac has yet to officially announce whether he will stand in the April-May presidential election.

Last month, the French leader said he was contemplating a new run at the presidency and would announce his intentions at a later time. His mandate ends on May 16.

An aide to Chirac played down the remarks made by the president, saying that he was answering a hypothetical question and that there was nothing new.

"The answer from the president of the republic does not reveal anything about the decision that he will take, as he has said, when the time comes," said the aide.

Public opinion polls however released last month showed that 81 percent of French voters did not want Chirac to seek a third mandate even though the constitution does not set limits to presidential terms.

Chirac's governing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) has chosen Nicolas Sarkozy, the interior minister and party leader, as its official candidate following a primary in which he was the only contender.

Sarkozy has, since winning the nomination on January 14, taken a lead in public opinion polls over his main rival Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate who hopes to become France's first woman president.

But Chirac has given no indication that he will endorse Sarkozy's candidacy. Relations between the two men cooled after Sarkozy supported Chirac rival Edouard Balladur for the presidential nomination in 1995.

There has been speculation in the French press that Chirac will officially announce his departure from politics in the coming weeks, with the last major event on his calendar a France-Africa summit on February 15 and 16.

If he steps down as expected, Chirac would be France's second longest serving president after Mitterrand, whom he succeeded in 1995.

He was re-elected to office in 2002 in an election that pitted him against far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen.

The latest polls show his approval rating climbing after hitting a record low of 17 percent in June following his government's poor handling of a new youth jobs initiative that was met with mass protests.

Chirac has won high marks however for opposing the US war in Iraq.

source: http://www.france24.com/france24Publ...3by3l&cat=null

AAAAAAh finally he is finally leaving! YEAHHH

12 years of Chiracisme!

Le vieux se casse!

So what is the goodbye-present of our American friends? hehe

A message full of love?

caseras · #2 (**permalink**) 02-13-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anselme

source: http://www.france24.com/france24Publ...3by3l&cat=null

AAAAAAh finally he is finally leaving! YEAHHH

12 years of Chiracisme!

Le vieux se casse!

So what is the goodbye-present of our American friends? hehe

A message full of love?

comme quoi y'a de bonne nouvelle parfois!

Slartibartfas · #3 (**permalink**) 02-13-2007

Is there a possibility that he will be subject of criminal investigations and/or trials if he looses his immunity when he is no longer an active politician?

I can not remember much anymore, but the last elections I read somewhere that a major reason for him to stay in office, was the immunity it grants to him...

Anselme · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

Normaly when he gets out of the Elysee palace, some affairs will catch up on him

caseras · #5 (**permalink**) 02-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

Is there a possibility that he will be subject of criminal investigations and/or trials if he looses his immunity when he is no longer an active politician?

I can not remember much anymore, but the last elections I read somewhere that a major reason for him to stay in office, was the immunity it grants to him...

Actually it's more than a possibility. Yesterday the Justice have decided to maintain the pressure on Chirac. He will be prosecuted when he will stop being president.

Artevelde · #6 (**permalink**) 02-18-2007

The sooner Chirac goes the better. He has been a disastrous president for France and is getting to be more and more of an embarrasment.

Anselme · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007

He officially announced yesterday that he won't run for another 3rd election of the presidential! he said he would found another way to serve France...

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