Chirac ‘to Quit Politics Today’

FRENCH president Jacques Chirac is expected to announce his retirement from politics tonight after a colourful and controversial career spanning four decades.

He will appear on France’s main news programme to make a ‘declaration to the nation’. French political pundits have said they have little doubt the 74-year-old statesman will reveal he is not standing for a third term in May’s election.

They also believe he will not try for any other future office.

Until now, Chirac currently at an EU summit in Brussels has refused to reveal whether he would stand for president again.

Polls indicate he would lose if he did.

Chirac’s broadcast on TF1 will also be scrutinised to see if he throws his weight behind his interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential campaign.

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