Chirac on trial for corruption

The month-long corruption trial of former French President Jacques Chirac opened on Monday. He is accused of using public money to pay people working for him while he was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995. Chirac denies any knowledge of corrupt payments and his lawyers have accused magistrates of harbouring a politicial agenda. 

Reuters/Philippe Wojazer

Chirac enjoyed immunity in the case while serving as president from 1995 to 2007, but the allegations, which have already seen the conviction of current Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, have finally caught up with him.

His first appearance is scheduled for Tuesday. Before then, the judge is due to deal with procedural matters. The case could be postponed altogether if the lawyer working for one of Chirac's co-defendents succeeds in getting a procedurial issue refererred to France's constitutional court.

The hearings in Paris are the result of the merger of two separate cases. One was started by magistrates in the Paris suburb of Nanterre in 1995 and the other in the capital itself in 1998.

Nine other people are on trial alongside Chirac. They are accused of either having fictitious jobs or benefitting from those of town hall employees.

Chirac has always denied that the people employed in these positions were used to prepare for the 1995 presidential election, which he won. He insists they were all legitimate positions for people working for the city of Paris.

Chirac has already been linked to a number of corruption scandals, but has never been convicted.

If he is found guilty in this trial, he faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust.

Last year Paris city hall dropped civil charges against him in return for a payment of more that 2.2 million euros from him and the right-wing UMP party. More than half a million euros came from Chirac's own pocket.

Recent media reports have suggested that Chirac's health has deteriorated and he might be too ill to face a trial.

In January, his wife Bernadette denied media reports that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.