Jacques Chirac The Survivor of the Republic

The Survivor of the Republic

Jacques Chirac: The Survivor of the Republic
By Julien Peltier

He was the eternal candidate, the man who always came close — until he didn’t just win, but stayed.

From the rain-soaked steps of the Élysée in 1995 to his defiant stand against the Iraq War, from the shock of 2002’s face-off with the far right to the long twilight of his presidency, Jacques Chirac’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and quiet charm that outlasted his political power.

Julien Peltier’s vivid, non-linear portrait takes the reader inside the private moments and public battles of a man who outlived rivals, weathered scandals, and, against all odds, left office more loved than when he entered it.

This is not just the biography of a president — it’s the study of a political survivor who became, almost by accident, a national treasure.

Through intimate scenes, sharp political analysis, and an unflinching look at Chirac’s triumphs and mistakes, Jacques Chirac: The Survivor of the Republic brings to life one of France’s most paradoxical leaders: a man who spent his career chasing power, only to discover that his greatest legacy was the affection he inspired when the chase was over.

Perfect for readers of political history, modern France, and character-driven biographies, this volume is the fifth in Peltier’s acclaimed Presidents of the Fifth Republic series — a sweeping, atmospheric journey through the lives of the men who shaped contemporary France.