• Obituary: Death Jacques Chirac, the last Gaullist
  • France: The political class says goodbye to Chirac, a "fighter", a "man of state" and a "reference" for society

National duel on Monday. Solemn tribute in San Sulpicio. Condolences in the Elysee Palace. France is preparing to fire its former president, Jacques Chirac. He was announced by his distant (in time) and close (in affection) successor, Emmanuel Macron. In a live address, full of emotion, the presidency borrowed from General De Gaulle one of his most famous phrases to attribute to Jacques Chirac "a certain idea of ​​France" and, forcing the interpretation, "a certain idea of ​​Europe."

All political leaders praise the figure of Jacques Chirac, who died after a long career - 12 years in the presidency, 18 in the mayor's office in Paris - and a few final years in which his physical decline made him disappear from the stage . Friends and related stressed their political virtues; The rivals, the human. Jean Marie Le Pen, who always fought firmly said of the deceased: " Dead, even the enemy deserves respect ."

State man could be the common substrate. But who wanted to express what Chirac should mean to France was his successor, Emmauel Macron remained totally silent for several hours until he appeared on all televisions at 8 pm . Macron, in mourning, serious, appeared with sadness and emotion. He made a wink from his first words - "Dear compatriots" -, formula that Chirac himself used in his interventions.

"Enter History and we will lack all of us," said Macron who mentioned all the presidents of the V Republic. Glosó his character of "chief" who "represented the nation in its diversity" and "protected against hatred." An allusion to the firmness of Chirac against the extreme right, today a great rival of the current president. "A statesman we loved as much as he loved us."

The 40 years in political life made the deceased a "familiar face in which we recognized ourselves," said Macron, from the Elysium, with the flags of France and Europe, in the background. Enthroning the funeral eulogy with his current combat, Macron attributed his affinity with a "protective Europe anchored in the German franc axis . " E. He even stressed that "he knew how to see the challenge of the environment." The earth burns "was his shout," said Macron, converted to the fight against global warming "... since environmentalists achieved 13% in Europe.

Chirac spent his last years at number 4 on the rue de Tournon that culminates in the Senate, next to the Luxembourg Garden and starts near the Odeon crossing on Boulevard Saint Germain . There the president and his wife Bernadette visited him shortly after coming to power. The Macron invited shortly after, in July 2017, to have lunch at the Elysium at Bernadette. At the end of the agape, all the employees of the presidential palace of the Chirac times appeared behind a curtain to greet Bernadette.

Chirac currently lived in a property of the millionaire François Pinault. The garnet gate, between a wine shop and one of roses, opens to a courtyard where the former president and his wife received when the weather was good for the last faithful.

Lost look

There he was visited by Alain Juppé or Christian Jacob. Until his physical decline spaced the encounters. The last of the last, Jean Louis Debré, former president of the Assembly and the Constitutional Council, a faithful friend since they met in 1967. It was learned that, since the summer of 2018, Chirac barely spoke and had his eyes lost, when I didn't close my eyes. Debré wasn't sure I recognized him.

Yesterday, on a gray lead day, about three in the afternoon, someone approached the police control a bouquet of flowers, modest and tricolor, but the police did not know what to do with it. Then they would arrive more and stack in the discreet corner of a neighboring alley. By then the street was cordoned off and the vehicles that were clogging had been removed. An explosives deactivation dog had sniffed cameras, tripods and backpacks of journalists who stood guard in front of the portal.

Only a couple of dozen people stood at the police fence. Tributes will come in the next few days. The Elysium will open its doors tonight to collect the condolences of the French. Monday has been declared a day of national mourning and a solemn religious service will be officiated by the archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit. It will take place in San Sulpicio, one of the largest churches in the capital, whose Notre Dame cathedral is closed since the fire.

The Eiffel Tower has not turned on its lights tonight and the socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, will arrange an audiovisual tribute to her predecessor on the esplanade of the City Hall. "Paris is in a duel," synthesized the first mayor.

Before Macron expressed his feelings two other presidents with whom Chirac fought in life. His predecessor (with François Mitterrand between them), Valéry Giscard d'Estaing coldly adhered to the protocol of expressing his personal "emotion" and transmitting his condolences to the family. His successor Nicolas Sarkozy was more talkative and highlighted his defense of "national independence" and his "European commitment."

The socialist François Hollande, with whom the decedent had a much better relationship, highlighted the "personal relationship he knew with the French." And his political nose that made him see "before others the challenge of global warming."

In general, the like related their political virtues and their rivals, the human ones. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe greeted "a man who told in the life of the country." The last (failed) presidential candidate emerged from his political family, Francois Fillon defined him as "a lion of politics." The socialist Lionel Jospin, who was his prime minister and rival in the presidential race highlighted his "cordiality." The socialist candidate for the presidency, Ségolène Royal, underlined her "courtesy". The leader of the extreme left, Jean Luc Mélenchon, said he knew "to love the French better than others."

Marine Le Pen was less fond than his father who succeeded in the leadership of the extreme right and praised that he avoided adding France to the war in Iraq.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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