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Europe
Chirac's M. 1 per cent, French voters declare
2005-12-12
Only 1 per cent of French people want President Jacques Chirac to stand for a third term at the Elysee palace in elections due in May 2007. Asked which candidate they would like to see representing Mr Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement party, 36 per cent chose Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and 19 per cent chose Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, according to the survey for Le Journal du Dimanche. Seven per cent chose other figures, while 34 per cent refused to nominate anyone from the party. The findings appeared to confirm the eclipsing of Mr Chirac, 73, by a younger generation of politicians as he enters the last phase of his second term.
Posted by:Fred

#7  Will De Villepin run as a man or woman?
Posted by: Frank G   2005-12-12 23:23  

#6  Thanks, JFM.

I mixed up the entity in saying Senator - sorry.

I know you're probably right about him never having to face the charges against him. BTW, do you consider them valid, not political? Just wondering. Well, at least he won't be around after 2007 to sew his shit - he's got de Villepin to take over in that dept - but it seems he's taken on more of a burden than a mantle, which pleases me.

Again, Thx!
Posted by: .com   2005-12-12 22:48  

#5  Nope. He will not become a senator but he would be for life, member of the Conseil Constitutionnel, ie the Court who checks if laws are constitutional. I have been unable to determine if they have any kind of immunity.

Anyway, Chirac will no go to jail. Whenever there is new President there is an amnesty and a right-wing president, even Sarkozy, who has no sympathy for him, would find nearly impossible to not formulate that amnesty in a such way that Chirac is covered by it. A left-wing president would not do someting so public but he can discretely slow the thing long enough for Chirac dying or becoming senile (IMHO, he has been senile since he was born) and I don't doubt he will do, even if out of fear of what the right could tell about the left's own dirty laundry.
Posted by: JFM   2005-12-12 15:16  

#4  SG - I think that sounds like the answer. Thx! And way back then, such an appointment would not have been as "controversial" as he was basking in the glow of the anti-American fires he had helped create. Yep, your take makes sense. I hope you're right that it would be / should be controversial now, too. I believe an additional point was that it was more or less customary and common. I hope not. I think he'd look perfect in a prison jumpsuit. He has another 1-2 years (his term expires in 2007 - whenever they hold elections) to turn this around with the usual political sleight of hand... I hope the cupboard is truly bare.
Posted by: .com   2005-12-12 09:34  

#3  My recollection is that he has to be appointed by the new Pres to that position. With numbers like these, even Dominique (a man) would have to think twice about giving the worm a Stay out of Jail Free Card. In any case, it's bound to become an election issue.
Posted by: Shairong Glimble9135   2005-12-12 09:18  

#2  I would very much appreciate JFM or A5089 jumping in here to clarify something.

I clearly recall reading a comment quite some time ago by someone (don't remember who, exactly) who has credibility on French matters saying that Chirac would very likely become a Senator - an honorary (?) life-long position which has immunity from prosecution for crimes committed while in office - upon stepping down from the Presidency. Thus he would skate on the (now old) charges of financial chicanery which seemed to be commonly accepted as substantial. The memory is so clear because it generated a huge sense of anger that he would never face the music for anything he's done, thus I did not forget the gist of that comment.

Is this correct, JFM / A5089?
Posted by: .com   2005-12-12 08:55  

#1  This could end up meaning a visit to the slammer for the worm in his dotage. Heh.
Posted by: Shairong Glimble9135   2005-12-12 08:43  

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