Chirac’s Two Fates: Fighter of Poverty, Crime Allegations
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
PARIS — President Chirac faces two contrasting fates when he hands over the keys to the Elysée palace to his successor, Nicolas Sarkozy, tomorrow — saving the planet or fighting corruption allegations. Mr. Chirac, 74, will step down tomorrow morning after 12 years in office.
After a few days relaxing in Morocco, he will return to put the finishing touches to a new foundation for fighting poverty, protecting the environment and sustainable development, and promoting “dialogue between cultures.”
The Jacques Chirac Foundation — run on private funds — will resemble those set up by other former heads of state, Presidents Gorbachev, Clinton, and Mandela. Michel Camdessus, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, will play a leading role.
However, before Mr. Chirac has a chance to champion global causes, he could face questioning by a judge investigating illegal party-funding dating back to his 18 years as mayor of Paris, between 1977 and 1995. Mr. Chirac’s presidential immunity expires on June 16, a month after he leaves office.
Judicial sources say it was “most probable” that Mr. Chirac would be questioned as a witness or “assisted witness” — suggesting potential involvement — in the inquiry into the so-called “fake jobs” scam, in which staff at his defunct Gaullist RPR Party had their wages paid by Paris city hall or companies that won contracts.
