With these words, Chirac shattered the myth of French innocence his predecessors on the left and right of French politics, from Charles de Gaulle to François Mitterrand, had, in the name of unity, created and nurtured for decades.. ..…

Chirac, who led France between 1995 and 2007, 'died this morning in peace, surrounded by his family,' Frederic Salat-Baroux, Chirac's son-in-law, told French media. . After he left the Elysee Palace, Chirac was reportedly hospitalized several times following a stroke and lung infection. . ..…