Former president Chirac is found guilty of embezzling public funds

FORMER French president Jacques Chirac was yesterday found guilty of embezzling public funds to illegally finance his right-of-centre party.

Chirac, a central figure in French politics for decades, was handed a two-year suspended sentence and a criminal record.

His conviction was welcomed by anti-corruption activists, frustrated that years of alleged dodgy dealing had gone unpunished.

The 79-year-old is the first former head of state in France to face prosecution since the Second World War. However, he was not present in court, after doctors found he suffered severe memory lapses.

The court found him guilty in two related cases involving fake jobs created at the RPR (Rassemblement Pour la République) party, which he led during his 1977-1995 tenure as Paris mayor. He was convicted of embezzling public funds, abuse of trust, and illegal conflict of interest.

He had denied wrongdoing.

It took years to get him to trial because he enjoyed immunity from prosecution during his 1995-2007 presidential term, during which he led France into the euro and became the global champion of opposition to the US invasion of Iraq. The court said it had taken into account his age, health and status as a former head of state when determining the light sentence.

Unusually, the prosecutor had requested Chirac and the nine other defendants in the complex two-part case be acquitted, saying not enough evidence proved intentional corruption. The court disagreed, saying his guilt results “from long-standing and reiterated practices” of illegal party financing.

Chirac’s adopted daughter Anh Dao Traxel attacked the ruling. She said: “The justice system has been very severe, but this is a fair and independent justice system. For the family, it’s a great pain we have to accept.”

His lawyer Georges Kiejman said he expected to appeal.

He said: “We have to take a step back and read this ruling, we have to speak of course with the main person involved [Chirac], and we will know tonight if he accepts this decision.

“What I hope is that this ruling doesn’t change in any way the deep affection the French feel legitimately for Jacques Chirac.”

Jerome Karsenti, a lawyer for the anti-corruption group Anticor, which had argued against Chirac as a civil party to the case, said the reverberations could be widespread.

He said: “This is a strong message from the court – a message to all politicians of responsibility. It’s also proof of a mature and transparent democracy that is today able to make a distinction and try a former president.

“I see it as a historic and very important decision for the future of French democracy.”

The latest case could loom large in voters minds as the French cast ballots in presidential and legislative elections next year. The party that succeeded the RPR, president Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP, and the opposition Socialist Party have seen their share of scandal recently. Two close Sarkozy allies have been targeted since September in a case of suspected kickbacks in a 1990s’ French defence deal with Pakistan. Mr Sarkozy served as budget minister at the time, but his office and allies insist he was not involved.

Yesterday, the court ruled 19 totally or partially fake jobs were created to benefit Chirac. “It was established Chirac was the initiator and principal author of crimes of abuse of trust, embezzling and illegal conflict of interest,” the ruling said.