French president says 'adieu' to public office
To some, he was a fatherly figure
JACQUES Chirac is best known in China for his support of closer ties between China and Europe. While being mayor of Paris in 1978, he became the first foreign politician to visit the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, hailing it as the eighth wonder of the world. Chirac reads books on China regularly and is often seen at exhibitions of Chinese art and artifacts in Paris. His office is decorated with Chinese relics.
With news of Chirac's retirement spreading on Monday, China's online commentators praised a leader they described as "likeable" and "fatherly".
ON Sunday night, French President Jacques Chirac said goodbye to an uncertain and divided France which, critics say, he's left in decline.
In a TV address, Chirac, 74, said he was proud of what he had achieved but would have liked to have modernized France more rapidly. He boasts one of the longest political careers in Europe: 40 years, including two terms as president, two as prime minister and 18 years as mayor of Paris.
"At the end of my service, the moment will have come for me to serve you otherwise. I will not seek your backing for a new term," he said in a serious, 10-minute speech where he laid out some of the major challenges facing France.
In six weeks, voters will replace him with a president from a new generation of leaders.
Chirac has, for decades, charmed the public with his handshaking, patting of cows and shaking of dogs' paws on his tours of France. He is a man of the people who was able to eat five lunches in one afternoon and visit kitchens for the election.
He was nicknamed the "weathervane" for his ability to shift as it suited him. He went from championing state control in the 1970s to Ronald Reagan's free-market liberalism in the 1980s, from nuclear testing to promoting environmentally-friendly energy use.
His popularity rose over his opposition to the war in Iraq. He will be remembered for his quest to reconcile France with its history. He was the first French head of state to recognize his country's role in the Holocaust and to apologize to the Jewish people.
But over the past year, some critics have complained about his broken promises and "wasted" 12 years as president. When he came to power in 1995, after two failed attempts, he promised to heal the terrible unemployment and inequality. But many suggest he is leaving France worse off. The country is currently battling social unrest and a large public debt.
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weathervane 风向标
Holocaust: 大屠杀 |
