Move FM Global News

PARIS, FRANCE – The former President of France Jacques Chirac died on Thursday at the age of 86.

A champion of multilateralism, European unity and Africa, Chirac was remembered by the French political elite when lawmakers observed a minute’s silence on news of his death.

“He was president of the Republic, Prime Minister, Minister, Mayor of Paris, a great man from the fifth republic went today. Goodbye Jacques Chirac,” the French government said in announcing his death.

President Emmanuel Macron later addressed the nation with a moving tribute. “We are remembering tonight with emotion and affection his freedom, his personality, the talent he had to reconcile simplicity and grandeur, proximity and dignity, love of the motherland and openness to the universal,” he said.

Flags at municipal building sin Paris were being flown at half-mast, while the government announced a National day of mourning for Monday.

Jacques Chirac was born November 29, 1932. He served as president of France from 1995 until 2007. He also served two terms as prime minister, from 1974 until 1976, and from 1986 through 1988.

Before becoming prime minister, and later president, Chirac was the mayor of Paris for eighteen years from 1977 to 1995.

He was the first French head of state to acknowledge his France’s role in the Holocaust, when he gave a speech in 1985.

He was also the most vocal of Western leaders to oppose the Bush-Cheney invasion of Iraq in 2003. He led a spirited campaign to oppose the war in The United Nations, a war which he and his supporters won overwhelmingly. His efforts caused the Bush-Cheney camp to abandon their bid to obtain UN approval.

He copped enormous criticism from the Bush administration and its supporters, particularly Fox News which turned not only on Chirac but on France, leading a campaign to have French fries in America renamed Freedom fries.

Chirac was a great friend of Africa, championing the region and the African nations.

He was popular in France for cutting government spending to enable France to adopt the Euro, the single common European currency. The Euro replaced France’s currency the franc in 2002. Chirac cut tax rates, removed price controls, and introduced severe penalties for terrorism.

He founded the Quai Branly Museum which was renamed the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum three years ago.