Bernadette Chirac, formidable former first lady of France, dies aged 93
Key takeaways
- Bernadette Chirac described the 63 years she was together with her husband Jacques as a long lesson in endurance.
- Prefer the Guardian on GoogleBernadette Chirac, the formidable widow of the former French president Jacques Chirac and a driving force behind his political rise, has died at the age of 93.
- As France’s first lady for 12 years, Chirac was a steely behind-the-scenes operator in support of her husband, who served twice as prime minister, 18 years as mayor of Paris and two terms as president.
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Bernadette Chirac described the 63 years she was together with her husband Jacques as a long lesson in endurance. Photograph: Derek Hudson/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Bernadette Chirac described the 63 years she was together with her husband Jacques as a long lesson in endurance. Photograph: Derek Hudson/Getty Images France Bernadette Chirac, formidable former first lady of France, dies aged 93Widow of French ex-president Jacques Chirac was a steely behind-the-scenes operator known for her charity work
Prefer the Guardian on GoogleBernadette Chirac, the formidable widow of the former French president Jacques Chirac and a driving force behind his political rise, has died at the age of 93.
As France’s first lady for 12 years, Chirac was a steely behind-the-scenes operator in support of her husband, who served twice as prime minister, 18 years as mayor of Paris and two terms as president.