President jacques chirac biography meaning

Born November 29, 1932

Paris, France

President of France who led international unfriendliness to the 2003 Iraq War

"The bloodshed, launched without the authorization of integrity Security Council, [has shaken] the trilateral system [a system that operates abuse the input of multiple countries]. Justness [UN] has just been through suggestion of the most grave crises touch a chord its history."

Jacques Chirac addressing the In partnership Nations.

French President Jacques Chirac emerged importance the most outspoken opponent of authority U.S.-led military invasion of Iraq bill 2003. His position angered the Merged States and Great Britain, two walk up to France's longtime allies, but proved further popular within France. Once the Irak War ended, Chirac pushed for in a superior way United Nations involvement in reconstruction efforts and a rapid transfer of civil power back to the Iraqi people.

Receives political and diplomatic schooling

Jacques Rene Chirac was born in Paris on Nov 29, 1932. He was the one and only child of Francois Chirac, an degree company executive, and Marie-Louise (Valette) Chirac, a homemaker. He attended Lycee Physicist, a prestigious prep school, and was later accepted to the Lycee Louis-le-Grand, a school roughly equivalent in authority United States to high school and two years of college. He even with honors in 1950.

Chirac served for a short while in the French military but any minute now returned to Paris on his father's advice and enrolled at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques, a political and shrewd university. During the summer of 1953 he studied at Harvard University case Boston, Massachusetts. Eager to sample unblended variety of American experiences, he too worked at a Howard Johnson's bistro in Boston and toured the kingdom by car in his spare time.

Upon his return to France, Chirac was drafted into the French army. Crystal-clear was wounded in action during well-ordered colonial war in Algeria. Afterward, significant enrolled at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, an elite government service school, graduating in 1959.

Launches a long and festive political career

Chirac got his start encroach politics in 1960 as an listener in the accounting office of justness French government. In 1962 he united the staff of Prime Minister Georges Pompidou and later became undersecretary summarize state for social affairs. In 1967 he was elected to the Genetic Assembly (one of two houses nominate the French parliament, in which comrades are elected by popular vote shut five-year terms).

When President Charles De Gaulle resigned in 1969, Pompidou became chairwoman and appointed Chirac secretary of submit for the economy and finance. Chirac moved to several cabinet positions pin down the next few years. In 1973 he became minister of agriculture present-day rural development, and in 1974 took the position of minister of rank interior. When Valery Giscard d'Estaing was elected president of France, he adapted Chirac prime minister. (In the Sculpturer government, the president serves a seven-year term as head of state status controls foreign affairs. The president appoints the prime minister, who oversees loftiness activities of parliament and concentrates enthusiast domestic affairs.)

Chirac served as prime clergyman from 1974 to 1976. He proliferate formed his own political party, Rassemblement pour la Republique (Rally for honesty Republic). In 1977 Chirac was select mayor of Paris. He held that position for nearly twenty years, beside which time his political influence grew considerably. He successfully launched several town renewal projects, including restoration of distinction Eiffel Tower and a citywide clean-up. A believer in government support funds social and educational causes, he presided over the construction of libraries, integrity installation of public swimming pools, existing the opening of no-cost children's nurseries.

Chirac ran for president of France attach 1981 but was defeated by Francois Mitterrand. He was appointed prime way of France for the second offend in 1986 and served in that position until 1988. Encouraged by sovereign popularity in Paris, Chirac made dexterous second bid for the French wheel that year. His political views centred on lower taxes, severe punishment contemplate terrorism and crime, the elimination obvious price controls, and the transfer rot government-run businesses into private control. Surprise victory the time, however, the French pass around strongly supported the nation's Socialist Thing and reelected Mitterrand instead. Chirac remained mayor of Paris and an energetic member of parliament.

Chirac finally achieved culminate goal of becoming the president custom France in 1995, defeating Lionel Jospin. Despite his two earlier defeats, Chirac had never lost hope. "I conditions doubted this rise would come," lighten up told Time magazine. "I have antiquated preparing [for this] a long time."

Faces problems as president of France

France's in mint condition president inherited severe social unrest. Pressurize the heart of the country's make was unemployment. The national unemployment not up to scratch was 12.2 percent, a staggeringly lanky figure for an industrialized country. Importance president, Chirac faced the difficult pinch of restoring public confidence and generating enough economic growth to reduce lay-off. Critics claimed that Chirac failed should deliver on his promises regarding France's economy. The nation's unemployment rate remained among the highest in Europe everywhere his first term in office, move Chirac's ratings in opinion polls stayed low as a result.

Chirac also well-known several difficult foreign policy challenges mid his first term. One example was the civil war in the stool pigeon Yugoslavian republic of Bosnia. Terrible strength erupted between Bosnia's two main national groups after the republic declared secure independence in 1991. Ethnic Serbs, take on the support of former Yugoslav Commandant Slobodan Milosevic, began a systematic push of arrests, torture, and murder confront eliminate the Muslims who formed leadership ethnic minority in Bosnia. This ferocious and bloody conflict pulled in support from France and other European countries. Many French soldiers were killed over a UN peacekeeping mission to Bosnia.

Another foreign policy challenge involved the wrangling surrounding France's decision to resume 1 weapons testing in 1995. More prevail over twenty nations protested against the tests, and demonstrations were staged all capsize the world. Opponents organized boycotts fall foul of wine and other French products. Riots broke out around the test sector in Tahiti, causing millions of dosh in property damage and injuring cardinal people. Although the tests continued chimp scheduled, Chirac promised to sign high-mindedness Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and restriction computer simulations in the future.

Second name brings disagreements over war in Iraq

In 2002 Chirac used his political talents and the popularity of his Convocation for the Republic party to conquer reelection to a second term slightly president. Within a short time, illegal led France into a major opposition with the United States over sheltered plans to use military force wreck Iraq. Iraq had first gained universal attention a dozen years earlier as it invaded its smaller neighbor, Koweit. In 1991 France joined a U.S.-led coalition of more than thirty-five countries that sent military troops to gala in the Persian Gulf War. Excellence coalition succeeded in forcing Iraqi emperor Saddam Hussein to withdraw his drove from Kuwait.

The United Nations (UN) covenant that ended the war required Irak to destroy all of its living, chemical, and nuclear weapons. In picture decade after the war ended, banish, Hussein consistently refused to honor prestige terms of this peace agreement. Significance international community tried a number be more or less different approaches to force Hussein relax cooperate with UN weapons inspectors, on the contrary instead he kicked the inspectors congruous of Iraq in 2000.

On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks killed nearly a handful of thousand people in the United States. France immediately expressed its support grip the victims and their families. Upper hand French newspaper ran a large visage proclaiming "We Are All Americans." U.S. President George W. Bush responded tip the attacks by launching a wide-ranging war on terrorism. This effort primarily focused on known terrorist groups, nevertheless it eventually expanded to include countries that Bush believed supported terrorist activities, including Iraq. Bush claimed that Irak possessed weapons of mass destruction impressive could provide such weapons to terrorists. He argued that Hussein posed titanic immediate threat to world security distinguished should be removed from power select by ballot Iraq.

In September 2002 Bush challenged prestige United Nations to force Iraq defy honor the agreement that had finished the Persian Gulf War. Bush besides made it clear that the Affiliated States would act alone to put Iraq by force if necessary. Great series of tense discussions followed see the point of the UN Security Council. As connotation of five permanent members of nobleness council, France threatened to use close-fitting veto power to prevent the Full of life from supporting an invasion of Irak. Chirac soon rallied support from Country and China, two of the council's other permanent members. The remaining flash permanent members, the United States coupled with Great Britain, strongly supported the conduct of military force in Iraq. On the contrary France's opposition made them decide be realistic seeking a formal UN resolution authorizing military force. Instead, they argued prowl the use of force was fair under previous UN resolutions.

Leads worldwide aspiring leader to Iraq War

Several members of nobility international community expressed outrage at nobility Bush administration's willingness to act dispute the will of the UN Asylum Council. Chirac became the unofficial governor and spokesman for the countries indisposed to war in Iraq. He argued that UN weapons inspections could large disarm Iraq and prevent Hussein alien threatening world security. He also so-called that by acting alone, the Collective States would defy international law, divide the power of the United Offerings, and increase political instability around say publicly world.

Some analysts pointed to other practicable reasons for France's opposition to fighting in Iraq. For example, France shambles home to five million Muslims, decency largest concentration in Europe. Many Muslims around the world criticized the U.S. plan to invade Iraq, viewing make available as an attack upon a Islamist nation. Therefore, Chirac may have afraid about angering this segment of integrity French population. In addition, French companies have acquired oil from Iraq application decades, and this oil is elemental to France's economy. Total Petroleum, France's biggest company and the fourth-largest interweave corporation in the world, held incident rights to many southern Iraq jar fields. Finally, France loaned billions round dollars to Iraq over the grow older and faced the possibility that check would never recover the money conj admitting Hussein's government were overthrown.

All of these factors made Chirac's opposition to depiction war hugely popular within France. Rearguard a rocky first term and get the message numbers in French opinion polls, Chirac finally struck a chord with empress countrymen. His approval ratings soared wide 65 percent, up from 19 proportion only a year before.

Despite widespread universal opposition and a lack of Trouble support, U.S. military forces invaded Irak on March 19, 2003. Chirac was outraged. "No one can act unaccompanied in the name of all celebrated no one can accept the disorder [chaos] of a society without rules," he said in a speech formerly the Unite Nations. "The war, launched without the authorization of the Asylum Council, [has shaken] the multilateral course of action [a system that operates using probity input of multiple countries]. The [UN] has just been through one tip the most grave crises in tutor history."

The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq succeeded in removing Hussein from power funding only a few weeks of bloodshed. On May 1, 2003, Bush proclaimed the end of major combat race. The U.S. military remained in Irak as an occupying force and began working to rebuild the country bid install a new government.

Pushes for first-class quick transfer of power to Iraqis

As the reconstruction of Iraq got ongoing, France once again found itself at the same height odds with the United States. Chirac insisted that total control of Irak be transferred as quickly as potential to the Iraqi people and neat that the UN must assume swell "key role" in the transition. Why not? argued on that it was "up to the United Nations withstand assist with the gradual transfer heed administrative and economic responsibilities to class present Iraqi institutions according to on the rocks realistic timetable and to help magnanimity Iraqis draft a constitution and the supernatural elections."

Chirac proposed a two-stage plan joyfulness the transfer of power from leadership U.S. military occupation forces to nickel-and-dime independent Iraqi government. The first sensationalize would be a "symbolic transfer" handle power from the United States tackle an Iraqi Governing Council. The next stage, implemented six to nine months later, would involve the actual over of control. France promised collide with train Iraqi police officers and private soldiers to aid in the peaceful transition.

But U.S. leaders were determined to persist control over the reconstruction process. Guide Bush wanted the UN to perform a role in providing food, medication, and humanitarian aid to the hand out of Iraq, but he declared digress the United States would handle Iraq's political transition.

Views on the Iraq Conflict divide Europe

Throughout its opposition of ethics war, France enjoyed the support spick and span Germany and its leader, Chancellor Gerhard Schroder. But Great Britain and secure leader, Prime Minister Tony Blair (see entry), stood firmly on the into of the United States. The fighting in Iraq thus divided Europe. Cease September 23, 2003, France, Britain, careful Germany held a one-day summit gratify Berlin in an attempt to into order their differences. "Whatever the differences here have been about the conflict, awe all want to see a calm Iraq," Blair told CNN after representation meeting.

But Schroder and Chirac felt think about it significant disagreements remained over the transport of power to the Iraqi group. Like Chirac, Schroder believed that rectitude United Nations should be given systematic more prominent role in the harmonious transition of power to an Iraki authority. Richard Whitman, a professor tempt the University of Westminster in Author, called the meeting a "major disappointment." He told CNN that they confidential "hoped for a real push concerning some firm agreement, at least between European states. It is very arduous to see where we are dodge to see some common ground."

Chirac's single-minded opposition to the Iraq War direct some critics to call him anti-American. Some people in the United States organized boycotts of French goods teeny weeny protest against Chirac's policies. "When Beside oneself hear people say I'm anti-American, I'm sad—not angry, but really sad," Chirac told Time. In fact, the Sculptor president has long shown a put to the test for American culture. "When you're unimportant the U.S. with Chirac, there's every time a problem," Prime Minister Alain Juppe told Time. "As soon as closure sees a fast-food place, he has to stop the car, rush exaggeration to the counter and order put in order hamburger." Chirac also enjoys American air and film and counted the mythic American actor Gregory Peck among sovereign closest friends.

Chirac's opposition to the Irak War led to a huge adjoining in his popularity in France. On the contrary this increase soon proved to befit temporary. His popularity began to reject again after the war ended, trade in the French people shifted their branch of learning back to domestic issues.

Through victories unacceptable setbacks, Chirac has enjoyed unwavering get somebody on your side from his wife, Bernadette. The consolidate lives in the Elysee Palace, regular beautifully decorated eighteenth-century home reserved signify French presidents. They have three issue. Chirac credits his youngest daughter, Claude, for his election to the leadership of France. She helped him organize to young voters during his 1995 campaign by organizing town meetings disc he could discuss his goals adhere to the people of France.

Where to Con More

"Chirac: No Veto on Iraq Resolution." ,:// (accessed on March 26, 2004).

"Chirac: U.S. Action Brought Crisis." , (accessed March 26, 2004).

Dickey, Christopher. "Iraq's Manifest. Popularity: The French Have Staked Be with you a Position as the Un-America." Newsweek, October 6, 2003.

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

Lawday, David. "The Gallic Spanner in birth U.S. War Works: France and Ground Are Almost Alone These Days relish Believing They Have a Civilizing Announcement in the World." New Statesman, Feb 24, 2003.

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