Jacques Chirac, flamboyant French president who opposed U.S. invasion of Iraq, dies at 86
Jacques Chirac, France’s ebullient, blunt-speaking and often flamboyant president who became best known in America for his vocal opposition to the invasion of Iraq and his advocacy of a “multipolar” world in which Europe would counterbalance American dominance, died Sept. 26 at 86.
An official at the Elysee Palace confirmed the death but did not give a cause. Mr. Chirac had had repeated health problems since leaving office in 2007.
Mr. Chirac served two terms as president, from May 1995 until May 2007, the pinnacle of a political career at the highest levels of French government that spanned five decades. He was the only person in the postwar Fifth Republic to serve twice as prime minister, and he was the mayor of Paris for 18 years, a post he used to build the political machine that he eventually rode to the presidency.
His long tenure as Paris mayor also gave rise to corruption allegations that followed Mr. Chirac to the presidency and beyond. He was accused of creating fictitious jobs in the Paris mayor’s office and of funneling public funds to his political party, Rally for the Republic.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/jacques-chirac-flamboyant-french-president-who-opposed-us-invasion-of-iraq-dies-at-86/2019/09/26/5f209d5e-e045-11e9-be96-6adb81821e90_story.html?wpisrc=al_news__alert-world--alert-national&wpmk=1
His opposition to the Iraq war inspired the Republican Congress to give us "freedom fries".