Jacques Chirac to face corruption charges
Former French president Jacques Chirac ordered to stand trial
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Friday, 30, Oct 2009 10:26
By Richard James.
Former French president Jacques Chirac has been ordered to stand trial over alleged corruption dating back to his time as Paris mayor.
A magistrate has called on Mr Chirac to face charges of "embezzlement" and "breach of trust", the Associated Press news agency reports.
Investigators have been examining whether members of staff were handed sham jobs as advisers and paid by City Hall during the former president's time in office.
A statement from Mr Chirac's office though said he was "serene, and determined to prove in court that none of the jobs still being debated were fake".
Mr Chirac was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995, before going on to become the country's president from 1995 till 2007.
The allegations of corruption had dogged most of his time in office, but until two years ago he had been protected by presidential immunity.
The 76-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing, while Paris public prosecutor has said there was no case.
It has been alleged that millions of euros were used to provide bogus jobs during Mr Chirac's time in office.
Judge Xaviere Simeoni has now ordered the former president and nine former aides to face charges relating to 21 contracts believed to have been fake.