[Al Arabiya Latest] Former French president Jacques Chirac is to be tried on allegations that he gave 21 political allies false contracts as ghost workers in Paris city hall, in an unprecedented move against a former French head of state.A statement from Chirac's office on Friday said he and nine others were charged with a role in awarding contracts for non-existent jobs. The statement described the former president as "serene."
The retired Chirac, 76, who was mayor from 1977 until 1995 when he was elected president, is not certain to go on trial, as Paris public prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin had previously said that there was no case against him. Marin is likely to appeal the decision by Xaviere Simeoni, a magistrate whose role is to investigate cases and decide whether suspects should face trial. If he does, an appeals court would make the final decision in another year or so.
The charges investigated by Simeoni related to 35 work contracts allegedly awarded by Paris city hall as favors to friends or associates of Chirac's political camp. She concluded that 21 out of the 35 were for non-existent jobs.
The statement from Chirac's office said he was "determined to demonstrate to the tribunal that none of the contracts that are still in debate were for non-existent jobs."