Au Revoir Jacques: Chirac’s Reign Ends

After 45 years in frontline politics, French President Jacques Chirac has announced he will not seek re-election next month.

In a televised address late Sunday (local time) Chirac made a final plea to France to shun extremism. Voters will go to the polls in six weeks time to elect his successor from a new political generation.

In the sombre address, Chirac, 74, recently best known internationally as a scourge of US policy in Iraq, said he was proud of what he had achieved but would have liked to have modernised France more rapidly.

“Not for one minute have I ceased to serve this magnificent France,” said the final survivor of a political generation that started out in the postwar governments of General Charles de Gaulle. “This France which I love as much as I love you.”

His decision to stand aside was expected and clears the way for a new generation of leaders born after World War II.

All the three main contenders to succeed Chirac Nicolas Sarkozy of Chirac’s ruling UMP party, Socialist Segolene Royal and centrist Francois Bayrou are in their 50s and all have pledged to break with the politics of the past 25 years.

Sarkozy, who is still waiting for Chirac’s blessing, was full of praise.

“It was a moving moment,” he told France Inter radio, referring to Chirac’s speech. “It was certainly a page turning in the life of Jacques Chirac but in a way it was a page in our own life.”

Chirac said Sunday was not the moment to endorse any of the contenders, but he made clear that he hoped voters would reject far- right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, who finished second in the 2002 presidential election.

“Never compromise with extremism, racism, anti-Semitism or the rejection of others. In our history, extremism has already nearly ruined us,” he said.

Chirac is likely to be best remembered for his pacifism he abolished compulsory military service, played an important role in ending the Yugoslav civil war in the 1990s and was the first president to acknowledge that French officials assisted in the Holocaust during World War II.

His views brought him into conflict with the US thanks to his fierce opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

He embodied the nations scornfully dismissed by former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as “Old Europe”, but his position was widely supported by his countrymen.

“What he did well was the war in Iraq,” said 63-year-old pensioner Jacqueline Morlon. “I particularly appreciated that.”

Many however are happy to see Chirac finally leaving after such a lengthy reign.

Fabrice Perticoz, 40, said: “I am very happy that he’s leaving. It’s time to turn a page. He hasn’t done anything good. He changes his mind with the direction of the wind.”

Chirac leaves behind a difficult legacy, with the economy underachieving, the state heavily in debt, unemployment stubbornly high and social tensions still simmering following rioting in deprived suburbs in 2005.

In that year he suffered a big defeat when French voters rejected the planned European constitution, pushing the European Union into a crisis that the next president will have to defuse.

He referred to the setback on Sunday and said France must continue working for a united Europe.

“We cannot face up to the economic upheavals of the world alone. France must demand a powerful Europe. A political Europe,” he said.

But Chirac said France had nothing to fear from globalization and should continue to play a major role on the world stage.

“France must defend tolerance, dialogue and respect between men and cultures. What is at stake is peace and security in the world,” he said.

Agencies

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