Corruption Trial Against Former French President Begins

Prosecutors allege Jacques Chirac used public funds to pay for political activities while he was mayor of Paris.

A former French head of state has not been put on trial since Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain was convicted of treason after World War II. The charges against Chirac are much more mundane, and involve allegations that as mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995 he put his own political operatives on City Hall’s payroll. Chirac’s trial began Monday and despite rumours he is suffering from Alzheimer’s, the 78-year-old is expected to appear in court Tuesday. Under French law the ex-president is not obliged to attend proceedings at all. The City of Paris dropped out of the lawsuit after it reached a €2-million settlement with Chirac in 2010, but two interest groups have pushed ahead with the case.