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, but proceedings were promptly delayed by an appeal from a co-defendant which could see the trial postponed for months.
The 78-year-old Chirac – who has lately appeared tired and weak in public – was excused from attending the first day of the trial, which marks the first time since 1945 that a former French head of state has faced criminal charges.
Chirac, still one of France’s most popular politicians, is accused of embezzling public money to fund his political party during his time as mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995, when he became president.
The hearing – held in the same courtroom as the trial of Queen Marie Antoinette in 1793, during the French Revolution – came after 11 years of legal wrangling over allegations that Chirac used city funds to pay 28 phantom employees for political ends.
Until he left the presidency in 2007, Chirac enjoyed immunity from prosecution. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison and 150 000 euros in fines, but a suspended sentence is more likely.
The case is going ahead even though the plaintiff, the city of Paris, withdrew its complaint after Chirac agreed to pay 500 000 euros in compensation and France’s ruling UMP party said it would pay a further 1,7 million euros on his behalf. – Reuters.