President chirac biography

Born November 29, 1932

Paris, France

President of France who play international opposition to the 2003 Iraq War

"The war, launched left out the authorization of the Safety Council, [has shaken] the trilateral system [a system that operates using the input of twofold countries].

The [UN] has efficient been through one of rectitude most grave crises in corruption history."

Jacques Chirac addressing the Merged Nations.

French President Jacques Chirac emerged as the most outspoken contender of the U.S.-led military inroad of Iraq in 2003. Reward position angered the United States and Great Britain, two lay out France's longtime allies, but dependable very popular within France.

Wholly the Iraq War ended, Chirac pushed for greater United Goodwill involvement in reconstruction efforts enjoin a rapid transfer of state power back to the Iraki people.

Receives political and diplomatic schooling

Jacques Rene Chirac was born gratify Paris on November 29, 1932. He was the only daughter of Francois Chirac, an level surface condition company executive, and Marie-Louise (Valette) Chirac, a homemaker.

He phony Lycee Carnot, a prestigious inattentive school, and was later uncontroversial to the Lycee Louis-le-Grand, spruce school roughly equivalent in righteousness United States to high nursery school plus two years of school. He graduated with honors remit 1950.

Chirac served briefly in decency French military but soon common to Paris on his father's advice and enrolled at loftiness Institut d'Etudes Politiques, a federal and diplomatic university.

During say publicly summer of 1953 he moved at Harvard University in Beantown, Massachusetts. Eager to sample clean variety of American experiences, unquestionable also worked at a Actor Johnson's restaurant in Boston instruct toured the country by auto in his spare time.

Upon fillet return to France, Chirac was drafted into the French crowd.

He was wounded in testimony during a colonial war bind Algeria. Afterward, he enrolled get rid of impurities the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, draw in elite government service school, graduating in 1959.

Launches a long topmost distinguished political career

Chirac got emperor start in politics in 1960 as an auditor in rectitude accounting office of the Gallic government.

In 1962 he one the staff of Prime Path Georges Pompidou and later became undersecretary of state for collective affairs. In 1967 he was elected to the National Body (one of two houses raise the French parliament, in which members are elected by approved vote to five-year terms).

When Top banana Charles De Gaulle resigned hamper 1969, Pompidou became president vital appointed Chirac secretary of return for the economy and resources.

Chirac moved to several ministry positions over the next passive years. In 1973 he became minister of agriculture and country development, and in 1974 took the position of minister help the interior. When Valery Giscard d'Estaing was elected president waning France, he appointed Chirac pioneering minister. (In the French authority, the president serves a seven-year term as head of remark and controls foreign affairs.

Rank president appoints the prime pastor, who oversees the activities short vacation parliament and concentrates on lackey affairs.)

Chirac served as prime ecclesiastic from 1974 to 1976. Purify then formed his own factious party, Rassemblement pour la Republique (Rally for the Republic). Minute 1977 Chirac was elected politician of Paris.

He held that position for nearly twenty age, during which time his administrative influence grew considerably. He victoriously launched several urban renewal projects, including restoration of the Engineer Tower and a citywide clean-up. A believer in government investment for social and educational causes, he presided over the expression of libraries, the installation make out public swimming pools, and probity opening of no-cost children's nurseries.

Chirac ran for president of Writer in 1981 but was hangdog by Francois Mitterrand.

He was appointed prime minister of Author for the second time edict 1986 and served in that position until 1988. Encouraged by virtue of his popularity in Paris, Chirac made a second bid on the French presidency that epoch. His political views centered carnival lower taxes, severe punishment dole out terrorism and crime, the extinction of price controls, and high-mindedness transfer of government-run businesses reach private control.

At the sicken, however, the French people with might and main supported the nation's Socialist Celebration and reelected Mitterrand instead. Chirac remained mayor of Paris pole an active member of parliament.

Chirac finally achieved his goal be bought becoming the president of Author in 1995, defeating Lionel Jospin. Despite his two earlier defeats, Chirac had never lost yearning.

"I never doubted this issue forth would come," he told Time magazine. "I have been anticipation [for this] a long time."

Faces problems as president of France

France's new president inherited severe organized unrest. At the heart prime the country's problems was dismissal. The national unemployment rate was 12.2 percent, a staggeringly lighten figure for an industrialized state.

As president, Chirac faced decency difficult task of restoring accepted confidence and generating enough financial growth to reduce unemployment. Critics claimed that Chirac failed gain deliver on his promises on France's economy. The nation's lay-off rate remained among the paramount in Europe throughout his pull it off term in office, and Chirac's ratings in opinion polls stayed low as a result.

Chirac further faced several difficult foreign game plan challenges during his first fleeting.

One example was the cultured war in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia. Terrible physical force erupted between Bosnia's two painting ethnic groups after the commonwealth declared its independence in 1991. Ethnic Serbs, with the charm of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, began a systematic crusade of arrests, torture, and manslaughter to eliminate the Muslims who formed the ethnic minority cut Bosnia.

This savage and bloodthirsty conflict pulled in forces depart from France and other European countries. Many French soldiers were deal with during a UN peacekeeping hand in to Bosnia.

Another foreign policy take exception to involved the controversy surrounding France's decision to resume nuclear weapons testing in 1995.

More best twenty nations protested against high-mindedness tests, and demonstrations were clarify all over the world. Opponents organized boycotts of wine lecturer other French products. Riots penniless out around the test purpose in Tahiti, causing millions inducing dollars in property damage significant injuring forty people. Although nobility tests continued as scheduled, Chirac promised to sign the Complete Test Ban Treaty and handle computer simulations in the future.

Second term brings disagreements over fighting in Iraq

In 2002 Chirac submissive his political skills and righteousness popularity of his Rally tabloid the Republic party to double reelection to a second brief as president.

Within a divide time, he led France munch through a major confrontation with illustriousness United States over its order to use military force aspect Iraq. Iraq had first gained international attention a dozen era earlier when it invaded dismay smaller neighbor, Kuwait. In 1991 France joined a U.S.-led coalescence of more than thirty-five countries that sent military troops seat fight in the Persian Cove War.

The coalition succeeded instruction forcing Iraqi leader Saddam Husain to withdraw his army stranger Kuwait.

The United Nations (UN) say yes that ended the war urgent Iraq to destroy all obvious its biological, chemical, and fissionable weapons. In the decade aft the war ended, however, Saddam consistently refused to honor honesty terms of this peace come to an understanding.

The international community tried ingenious number of different approaches know force Hussein to cooperate fretfulness UN weapons inspectors, but on the other hand he kicked the inspectors uplift of Iraq in 2000.

On Sep 11, 2001, terrorist attacks handle nearly three thousand people referee the United States. France at a rate of knots expressed its support for nobility victims and their families.

Defer French newspaper ran a hefty headline proclaiming "We Are Imprison Americans." U.S. President George Unguarded. Bush responded to the attacks by launching a global conflict on terrorism. This effort in the early stages focused on known terrorist aggregations, but it eventually expanded watch over include countries that Bush held supported terrorist activities, including Irak.

Bush claimed that Iraq bedevilled weapons of mass destruction near could provide such weapons interruption terrorists. He argued that Husayn posed an immediate threat indicate world security and should titter removed from power in Iraq.

In September 2002 Bush challenged illustriousness United Nations to force Irak to honor the agreement defer had ended the Persian Locate War.

Bush also made qualified clear that the United States would act alone to put Iraq by force if requisite. A series of tense discussions followed in the UN Reassurance Council. As one of cardinal permanent members of the consistory, France threatened to use close-fitting veto power to prevent authority UN from supporting an foray of Iraq.

Chirac soon rallied support from Russia and Dishware, two of the council's concerning permanent members. The remaining join permanent members, the United States and Great Britain, strongly wiry the use of military drive in Iraq. But France's contrast made them decide against search a formal UN resolution authorizing military force.

Instead, they argued that the use of fight back was justified under previous Go over resolutions.

Leads worldwide opposition to Irak War

Several members of the global community expressed outrage at birth Bush administration's willingness to activity against the will of depiction UN Security Council. Chirac became the unofficial leader and promoter for the countries opposed simulation war in Iraq.

He argued that UN weapons inspections could effectively disarm Iraq and inhibit Hussein from threatening world safe keeping. He also claimed that brush aside acting alone, the United States would defy international law, decrease the power of the Combined Nations, and increase political turbulence around the world.

Some analysts dismayed to other possible reasons unmixed France's opposition to war discern Iraq.

For example, France psychotherapy home to five million Muslims, the largest concentration in Continent. Many Muslims around the globe criticized the U.S. plan less invade Iraq, viewing it despite the fact that an attack upon a Islamic nation. Therefore, Chirac may fake worried about angering this bank of the French population.

Expose addition, French companies have imitative oil from Iraq for decades, and this oil is be significant to France's economy. Total Firewood, France's biggest company and grandeur fourth-largest oil corporation in description world, held development rights in all directions many southern Iraq oil comic. Finally, France loaned billions accustomed dollars to Iraq over position years and faced the peril that it would never demo the money if Hussein's authority were overthrown.

All of these occurrence made Chirac's opposition to nobility war hugely popular within Author.

After a rocky first fleeting and low numbers in Gallic opinion polls, Chirac finally attacked a chord with his countrymen. His approval ratings soared run 65 percent, up from 19 percent only a year before.

Despite widespread international opposition and well-ordered lack of UN support, U.S. military forces invaded Iraq stock March 19, 2003.

Chirac was outraged. "No one can cut alone in the name outline all and no one gaze at accept the anarchy [chaos] vacation a society without rules," fiasco said in a speech already the Unite Nations. "The warfare, launched without the authorization pick up the tab the Security Council, [has shaken] the multilateral system [a course that operates using the o of multiple countries].

The [UN] has just been through call of the most grave crises in its history."

The U.S.-led raid of Iraq succeeded in extermination Hussein from power after exclusive a few weeks of conflict. On May 1, 2003, Shop announced the end of superior combat operations. The U.S. personnel remained in Iraq as iron out occupying force and began method to rebuild the country add-on install a new government.

Pushes aim a quick transfer of administrate to Iraqis

As the reconstruction draw round Iraq got underway, France formerly again found itself at abhor with the United States.

Chirac insisted that total control expose Iraq be transferred as loud as possible to the Iraki people and stressed that blue blood the gentry UN must assume a "key role" in the transition. Blooper argued on that cluedin was "up to the Concerted Nations to assist with position gradual transfer of administrative added economic responsibilities to the appear Iraqi institutions according to unornamented realistic timetable and to educational the Iraqis draft a design and hold elections."

Chirac proposed natty two-stage plan for the alter of power from the U.S.

military occupation forces to implication independent Iraqi government. The chief stage would be a "symbolic transfer" of power from depiction United States to an Asiatic Governing Council. The second depletion, implemented six to nine months later, would involve the bona fide handing over of control. Writer promised to train Iraqi constabulary officers and soldiers to 1 in the peaceful transition.

But U.S.

leaders were determined to free from blame control over the reconstruction case. President Bush wanted the Energetic to play a role shoulder providing food, medicine, and kindly aid to the people lose Iraq, but he declared give it some thought the United States would meet Iraq's political transition.

Views on illustriousness Iraq War divide Europe

Throughout sheltered opposition of the war, Author enjoyed the support of Frg and its leader, Chancellor Gerhard Schroder.

But Great Britain deed its leader, Prime Minister Tony Blair (see entry), stood absolutely on the side of probity United States. The war develop Iraq thus divided Europe. Alliance September 23, 2003, France, Kingdom, and Germany held a one-day summit in Berlin in let down attempt to settle their differences.

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"Whatever the differences there have antiquated about the conflict, we accomplished want to see a press down Iraq," Blair told CNN back the meeting.

But Schroder and Chirac felt that significant disagreements remained over the transfer of cognition to the Iraqi people. Comparable Chirac, Schroder believed that goodness United Nations should be land-dwelling a more prominent role speedy the quick transition of hold sway to an Iraqi authority.

Richard Whitman, a professor at significance University of Westminster in Writer, called the meeting a "major disappointment." He told CNN lose concentration they had "hoped for precise real push towards some take on agreement, at least among Inhabitant states. It is very tough to see where we falsified going to see some customary ground."

Chirac's staunch opposition to loftiness Iraq War led some critics to call him anti-American.

Any people in the United States organized boycotts of French estate in protest against Chirac's policies. "When I hear people discipline I'm anti-American, I'm sad—not ardent, but really sad," Chirac bass Time. In fact, the Gallic president has long shown fine taste for American culture. "When you're in the U.S. tighten Chirac, there's always a problem," Prime Minister Alain Juppe resonant Time. "As soon as put your feet up sees a fast-food place, soil has to stop the auto, rush up to the chip and order a hamburger." Chirac also enjoys American music swallow film and counted the allegorical American actor Gregory Peck mid his closest friends.

Chirac's opposition tolerate the Iraq War led fail a huge increase in sovereignty popularity in France.

But that increase soon proved to wool temporary. His popularity began bring out decline again after the warfare ended, as the French be sociable shifted their focus back profit domestic issues.

Through victories and setbacks, Chirac has enjoyed unwavering get somebody on your side from his wife, Bernadette. Probity couple lives in the Elysee Palace, a beautifully decorated eighteenth-century home reserved for French presidents.

They have three children. Chirac credits his youngest daughter, Claude, for his election to integrity presidency of France. She helped him appeal to young voters during his 1995 campaign vulgar organizing town meetings where filth could discuss his goals zone the people of France.

Where equal Learn More

"Chirac: No Veto feud Iraq Resolution." ,:// (accessed to be expected March 26, 2004).

"Chirac: U.S.

Rapid Brought Crisis." , (accessed Go by shanks`s pony 26, 2004).

Dickey, Christopher. "Iraq's Segment. Popularity: The French Have Staked Out a Position as righteousness Un-America." Newsweek, October 6, 2003.

Jeffrey, Simon. "War with Iraq." Guardian Unlimited, October 4, 2002.

Lawday, King.

"The Gallic Spanner in birth U.S. War Works: France boss America Are Almost Alone These Days in Believing They Scheme a Civilizing Mission in grandeur World." New Statesman, February 24, 2003.

Turback, Gary. "With France Intend These, Who Needs Enemies?" VFW Magazine, October 2003.