Jacques Chirac 1932-2019 -------------------------- 1932: Jacques Chirac born in Paris, son of bank manager, later managing director of Dassault aircraft company -------------------------- 1956: Marries Bernadette Chodron de Courcel, daughter of prominent diplomat. They have two daughters -------------------------- 1957: Graduates from École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) – training ground for France’s top civil servants – before volunteering to fight in Algerian War -------------------------- 1962: Joins staff of Gaullist Prime Minister Georges Pompidou, who dubs him “the bulldozer” because of his drive -------------------------- 1968: Helps negotiate end to student riots -------------------------- 1974: Nominated prime minister by President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing -------------------------- 1976: Chirac resigns to form own neo-Gaullist party – Rally for the Republic (RPR) -------------------------- 1977: Chirac elected mayor of Paris – post he holds for 18 years -------------------------- 1986: Nominated prime minister by President Francois Mitterrand. Stays in office until 1988 -------------------------- 1995: Chirac wins presidential election at third attempt after abandoning earlier support of Thatcherite economic reform. Election ends 14 years of Socialist presidency -------------------------- Jun 1995: Announces resumption of French nuclear tests in South Pacific before signing total test ban treaty. Decision provokes international outrage -------------------------- Jul 1995: Chirac is first French head of state to recognise role of France’s Vichy regime in World War Two Holocaust -------------------------- 1997: Chirac calls early election to try to win support for conservative economic programme, but loses his majority to Left and is forced to share power with Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin -------------------------- 2000: Chirac implicated in corruption case tied to time as Paris mayor -------------------------- 2002: Wins second term by crushing far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen in runoff vote after Le Pen shocks France by defeating Jospin in first round -------------------------- 2003: Refuses to back U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, winning unprecedented popularity at home – relations with U.S. suffer -------------------------- May 2005: Campaigns in favour of European constitution – later rejected by French voters in referendum -------------------------- Sep 2005: Chirac suffers minor stroke -------------------------- Oct-Nov 2005: Calls state of emergency after rioting sweeps France’s suburban ghettos -------------------------- 2007: Announces he will not stand for third term as president -------------------------- 2011: Given two-year suspended prison sentence for diverting public funds when mayor of Paris -------------------------- Sep 26, 2019: Dies aged 86 -------------------------- Sources: Reuters, BBC, AFP Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS