Former French first lady dies at 93: Bernadette Chirac, a 'discreet force'

Article excerpt

Bernadette Chirac, the former first lady of France who spent 12 years at the Élysée Palace from 1995 to 2007, died at 93. While her husband Jacques Chirac occupied the presidency, she built independent political power in rural Corrèze and transformed a children's hospital charity into a national institution. Described by observers as a "discreet force" and the "rock" underlying her husband's political career, Chirac operated largely outside the spotlight yet wielded substantial influence. Her death marks the end of a political partnership that defined French governance for over a decade.