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Jacques Chirac retires from active politics
Vaiju Naravane
| A President who opposed U.S. plan to invade Iraq |
French President Jacques Chirac in Paris on Monday.
Paris: In an emotional and eloquent speech on Sunday night, French President Jacques Chirac announced retirement from active politics telling his people he loved them and his country.
"I shall now try to serve you in other ways," the President declared, saying he would not be seeking a third term in office.
In a career spanning over 40 years, Mr. Chirac made four bids for the presidency and was elected twice serving 12 years as Head of State. He also occupied the powerful post of Mayor of Paris for 18 years and was twice named Prime Minister.
Mr. Chirac's greatest hour of glory was in 2003 when he fought tooth and nail against U.S.-led plans to invade Iraq. Recently published documents reveal that he repeatedly warned British Prime Minister Tony Blair about the dangers of unleashing chronic insecurity in West Asia and further encouraging international terrorism but his pleas were ignored.
Mr. Chirac was first elected President in 1995 and again in 2002 when he beat extreme right wing leader Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round run off. Many said this election robbed him of his credibility since left wing electors voted for him en mass to bar the route to the xenophobic extreme right.
The low point of Mr. Chirac's career came when voters massively rejected the proposed European Constitution Treaty. Mr. Chirac was personally involved in campaigning for a yes vote and the no was seen as a rejection of his policies. Though he took many courageous positions, notably on Iraq and when he apologised to the Jewish community for the French state's deportation of Jews during World War II, Mr. Chirac's 12 years in office are being harshly judged by the press and the public alike as "a series of missed opportunities." During his time France experienced it's worst urban violence in six decades with mainly immigrant black and Arab youth in suburban ghettoes going on the rampage to protest discrimination, racism and the excessive use of police force.
His Government failed to tackle France's chronic joblessness, could not stem the flight of capital and jobs and failed to integrate millions of disenchanted youths of black or Arab origin. He leaves behind a country that is unable to come to grips with globalisation, fears changes and is clinging on to an outmoded social model that guarantees job security and generous welfare benefits even as the country's deficit rises.
France will elect a President on May 6. Three major contenders are in the fray— socialist Segolene Royal, centrist Francois Bayrou and conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. Extreme right leader Jean Marie Le Pen is far behind in fourth place according to the latest polls.
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