FORMER FRENCH president Jacques Chirac won at least a temporary reprieve yesterday when his trial for misuse of public funds was postponed to allow for a constitutional challenge.
Mr Chirac is accused of using public funds to pay salaries to his political allies for non-existent jobs while he was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.
On the second day of the trial yesterday, Judge Dominique Pauthe granted a request by lawyers for one of Mr Chirac’s co-defendants to adjourn pending a challenge to the proceedings. Rémy Chardon, Mr Chirac’s chief of staff at city hall, had suggested that some of the alleged offences were too old to go to court.
The trial is due to resume on June 20th if it gets clearance from the Constitutional Council.
Mr Chirac (78) did not attend yesterday’s hearing, but in a statement said he “noted” the judge’s decision and that he would be present in court when the trial resumed. He stressed that he was not behind the challenge that will delay the trial.
His lawyer, Jean Veil, said Mr Chirac – the first postwar French head of state to face trial – remained ready to give evidence in court, having always denied committing any crime and insisting the disputed jobs were legitimate and useful. “I would say he is neither disappointed nor pleased… He is very much serene about it – he has prepared his case,” Mr Veil said.
Having lost the immunity from prosecution he enjoyed as head of state until 2007, Mr Chirac faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine of €150,000 on charges including embezzlement and breach of trust.
The Paris prosecutor, who had advised against the prosecutions due to insufficient evidence, spoke in support of a postponement on Monday, reminding the court of Mr Chirac’s 45 years of service to the state.
With Paris rife with rumours about Mr Chirac’s health, many politicians on left and right have suggested that the trial should not go ahead. His wife, Bernadette, recently denied reports that Mr Chirac had Alzheimer’s disease but said he had trouble walking at times and suffered mild memory loss.