Chirac’s Luck

French president Jacques Chirac has a colorful track record. He will have stayed in office for 12 years as he was just reelected as president May this year. If the constitutional amendment last year had not reset the term of presidency from 7 to 5 years, he could follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Francois Mitterand who served as president for 14 years.

Before elected as president, Chirac won the mayoral races in Paris three times in a row, and later ascended to a premiership. As long as he continues to serve as an exemplary head of France until the last day in office, he will be remembered as the most honored politician of the Fifth Republic.

Chirac’s successful political career began with his “De Gaulle campaign.” He entered the political landscape after winning a parliamentary race in 1967 as a candidate of the De Gaulle Party at his hometown. In 1976, he emerged as a top leader in the rightist camp by founding Le Rassemblement pour la Reublique, or RPR, based on De Gaulle doctrine.

His most enduring political asset has been by far his being a successor of De Gaulle. Without his tall figure and passionate speeches, however, we could not have basked in the glory of today. In addition, he is a seasoned politician who is willing to make compromises when things are against his side. For instance, even losing a presidential race to Mitterand twice, he accepted the premiership to wait for his turn patiently.

Chirac has had the godness of fortune on his side as well. He was able to grab a secure victory in this year’s presidential race as his archrival Lionel Jospin struggled with his leftist peers in the first round. In the second round, he could win a landslide victory with even leftists eager to endorse him against the far-rightist candidate. As his middle-right party also won a crushing victory in the following general election, he was given a nickname ‘the luckiest politician in France.”

The failed assassination attempt by the extreme-rightist man also seems to have something to do with his luck. A deranged young man fired a shot near Chirac during the military parade held in Champs Elysees in Paris on July 14, the most celebrated national holiday.

Amid hundreds of thousands of people flocked in Champs Elysees for the July 14th parade, the police was not able to watch every onlooker. And the man reportedly fired a shot only about 40 to 50 meters apart from the president. French people must be happy to have the seasoned political leader who carries luck on his side, since his luck is there for the nation and the people, too.

hnbhang@donga.com