Jacques Chirac, the son
of a banker, was born in France 1932. After
leaving university he worked in the office of President Georges Pompidou.
In 1967 Chirac was elected
to the National Assembly and was appointed as junior secretary in
the finance ministry. Later he served as Minister for Agriculture
and Minister of Industry.
Chirac became prime minister
in 1974 but he had a poor relationship with President Valery
Giscard d'Estaing
and resigned in August 1976.
After leaving office Chirac established the pro-Gaullist Rassemblement
pour la République (RPR).
In 1977 Chirac became Mayor
of Paris, a post he was to hold for 18 years. Chirac was defeated
by Francois
Mitterrand in
the 1981 presidential election. Afterwards he emerged in the National
Assembly as leader of the right-wing opposition during the Socialist
administration (1981-86).
Following the 1986 National
Assembly elections Mitterrand appointed Chirac as prime minister.
In 1988 Chirac challenged Mitterrand for the presidency but was defeated.
His third attempt to win the presidency succeeded in May 1995.
Within six weeks of his
victory, Chirac announced the resumption of French nuclear tests in
the South Pacific. This caused violent demonstrations in Tahiti and
Chirac was forced to send in the Foreign Legion.
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