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Chirac Trial Opens In His Absence In Paris


Former French President Jacques Chirac
Former French President Jacques Chirac
The trial of former French President Jacques Chirac on charges of illegal party funding opened on September 5 in his absence.

The judge ruled that Chirac, who was president from 1995 to 2007, would not be ordered to attend the trial.

A medical report said he had memory lapses and was too unwell to attend.

Chirac is accused of two counts of paying members of his Rally for the Republic (RPR) party for municipal jobs that did not exist when he was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.

Chirac denies the charges. He faces up to 10 years in jail and a 150,000-euro fine if found guilty.

compiled from agency reports

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