The last wishes of the presidents. Jacques Chirac, December 31, 2001

“My dear compatriots, the moments when a people come together, breathe at the same rhythm, beating with the same heart, are always privileged moments. The Christmas and New Year celebrations are part of these meetings of the country with itself . ” VShe who evokes this meeting of a country with himself is Jacques Chirac who presents his wishes on December 31, 2001 with the firm will that it is not his ultimate at the head of France.

If he has not yet announced his candidacy for a new mandate (it will be for the beginning of February), no one doubts that the one who has to deal with a cohabitation for five long years will start again. And his opponent, as everyone knows, will be his Prime Minister. Lionel Jospin has governed since 1997 with a plural left-wing majority which has enjoyed very good economic results.

On the eve of the vows, the polls put Chirac slightly ahead in the first round, but with little reserve of votes for the second, unlike Lionel Jospin. In this situation of cohabitation, Jacques Chirac presents himself, like François Mitterrand in 1988, as the pledge of national cohesion and stability. And the Head of State, who has become a great defender of European construction, hopes to benefit from the historic moment of the new year, on a subject which divides the left. “With the arrival of the euro, we are going to experience a historic moment in a few hours. 300 million Europeans will now share the same currency. It is Europe that is moving forward”, exclaims Jacques Chirac.

With a Jean-Pierre Chevénement then at 10% in the polls and hostile to the single currency, it is also playing politics to evoke this undoubtedly historic moment. Another historic event, the result of the 1st round on April 21, 2002, will allow Jacques Chirac to pronounce many other presidential vows.