BREAKING: Former French President Jacques Chirac has died at 86, son-in-law says.
FILE - In this Nov.14, 2006 file photo, French President Jacques Chirac poses with residents during his visit to Amiens, northern France. Former French President Jacques Chirac has died at 86.
“Yes, the criminal folly of the occupiers was seconded by the French, by the French state,” he said on July 16, 1995. “France, the land of the Enlightenment and human rights ... delivered those it protects to their executioners.” In his 40 years in public life, Chirac was derided by critics as opportunistic and impulsive. But as president, he embodied the fierce independence so treasured in France: He championed the United Nations and multipolarism as a counterweight to U.S. global dominance, and defended agricultural subsidies over protests by the European Union.
“By thwarting extremism, the French have just confirmed, reaffirmed with force, their attachment to a democratic tradition, liberty and engagement in Europe,” Chirac enthused at his second inauguration. At home, myriad scandals dogged Chirac, including allegations of misuse of funds and kickbacks during his time as Paris mayor.
Chirac traveled to the United States as a young man, and as president he fondly remembered hitchhiking across the country. He worked as a fork-lift operator in St. Louis and a soda jerk at a Howard Johnson’s restaurant while attending summer school at Harvard University.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ex-French President Chirac, who stood up to US, dies at 86Jacques Chirac, two-term French president who was first leader to acknowledge France's role in the Holocaust and defiantly opposed U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, has died at age 86.
Read more »
Camille Rowe’s Guide to Effortless French-Girl BeautyThe French-American model reveals her go-to Paris Fashion Week makeup look, including an effortless hair trick and red lip.
Read more »
French Conservatives Are Very Concerned About Offering IVF to Lesbians and Single WomenToday, French parliament is considering a law to lift discriminatory restrictions on lesbians and single women accessing assisted reproductive technology—and, turns out, sexist-ass bigots are a little bit pissed off about it. Conservative groups have organized a march next month arguing that the law would “deprive children of a father,” reports the Guardian. Opponents have even found marginal support from National Academy of Medicine’s ethics board, which released a report cautioning that “the deliberate conception of a child deprived of a father is not without risk for the child’s development.”
Read more »
French chef sues after Michelin Guide strips 3rd star reportedly over souffle reviewThe Michelin guide stripped La Maison des Bois, Marc Veyrat's French restaurant, of one of its stars from its rating after a souffle
Read more »
How to Do Eyeliner the French Way, According to the Dior RunwayBackstage at Dior, makeup artist Peter Philips shares how he traced on eyeliner “with a French touch to it.”
Read more »