Second corruption trial for Chirac
Chirac faces second corruption trial over claims Paris jobs funded his political party
FORMER president Jacques Chirac is to face a second corruption trial.
He already faces charges over claims of bogus work contracts while he was mayor of Paris and has now been accused over an illegal conflict of interest.
The 77-year-old former president has faced a number of investigations after his presidential immunity from prosecution expired when he left office in 2007. He has consistently denied the claims.
Next March he will face a court on allegations of embezzlement involving jobs for 21 bogus workers in Paris between 1992 and 1995, when he became president.
The second charge concerns six jobs for RPR party workers that were paid for by the city of Paris or building firms between 1990-95.
Last month the public prosecutor in Nanterre suggested that the charges be dropped, but the juge d’instruction has said he should face trial.
Mr Chirac’s lawyers have asked for the two cases to run together.
It is claimed that Mr Chirac helped fund the RPR with millions of euros of Paris money while he was mayor.
His former prime minister and Paris treasurer, Alain Juppe, was found guilty in 2004 over the bogus jobs while Chirac was mayor and in September the city of Paris accepted a €2.2 million payment from the UMP party in return for dropping a civil claim against Chirac.
Photo: Eric Pouhier
