Jacques Chirac

, known as Jacques Chirac, (born November 29, 1932 in Paris, France) is a French politician. He was elected President of the French Republic in 1995 and 2002. As President, he is an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra.

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In 1959, after completing studies at the ?cole Nationale d'Administration, Jacques Chirac entered high-level civil service, then soon entered politics. He has since occupied various high-level positions, such as minister of agriculture, prime minister, mayor of Paris, and finally president of France.

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He has stood for lower tax rates; the removal of price controls; strong punishments for crime and terrorism; and business privatization. However, he also, at other times, argued for more "social" economic policies and was elected in 1995 after a campaign where he said he would reduce the "social rift" (fracture sociale). On economic policies, he has at various times advocated both laissez-faire and dirigiste positions. On European issues, he has had at times very eurosceptic positions, and at other times rather fairly pro-European Union positions.

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In 1953, he married Bernadette Chodron de Courcel which whom he has two daughters, Laurence and Claude, one of whom has long been his public relations assistant and personal advisor (Claude Chirac). He is a Roman Catholic.

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Bernadette and Jacques Chirac have also informally adopted a boat people refugee, Anh Dao Traxel, whom they took in their home in 1979, when she was 21. She is considered as their foster daughter.

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1932: 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday....

Paris: Paris is the capital city of France, as well as the capital of the ?le-de-France r?gion, whose territory encompasses Paris and its suburbs. The city of Paris proper is also a d?partement, called Paris d?partement (French: d?partement de Paris). It is a wonderful city for aimless wandering of which f...

France: The French Republic or France (: R?publique fran?aise or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents....

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