FRANCE - Election 2012

[edao]

Chirac mocks Sarkozy in memoirs


Former French President Jacques Chirac has mocked his successor and party colleague Nicolas Sarkozy in memoirs covering his 12 years in office. article

[Maciamo]

He [Chirac] described his fellow UMP conservative as "irritable, rash, overconfident and allowing for no doubt, least of all regarding himself".

That's it ? How does that even make the news ? Anybody who knows a bit Sarkozy already knows that. It's not even criticism.

Since his retirement, and despite a looming trial on corruption allegations dating back decades, Mr Chirac has enjoyed a popularity which often eluded him while president.

An Ifop opinion poll last summer suggested he was France's most admired political figure, with Mr Sarkozy placed just 32nd.

I can't believe Chirac was voted France's most admired political figure. He was one of the worst president, mostly because he just sat there doing nothing except making grand but useless speeches. Sarkozy was elected because he represented everything Chirac was not, a man of action, ready to make unpopular but necessary reforms and tackle the immigration issues.

After describing Mr Sarkozy as "one of the most gifted politicians of his generation", he frowns on his "inappropriate declarations", notably his call to "hose down" crime-ridden housing estates when he was interior minister in 2005.

Inappropriate declarations ? I only wish Sarkozy had really put those words into action. There is nothing inappropriate about being tough on crime. That's exactly the kind of attitude that made me hate Chirac. He just a flaccid, senile grandpa who should have quit politics before he became president.