BEIJING, May 16 -- Born on 29 November 1932 in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. Son of Fran?ois Chirac, a company director, and Marie-Louise, n岢e Valette. Married on 16 March 1956 to Mlle Bernadette Chodron de Courcel (two children: Laurence and Claude).

    Education

    Lyc岢e Carnot and Lyc岢e Louis-le-Grand,Paris

    Qualifications

    Graduate of the Paris Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Institute of Political Science), and of the Harvard University Summer School (USA).

    Career

    1957-1959

    Ecole nationale d'Administration (competitive-entrance college which trains top civil servants)

    1959

    Auditeur (Junior member) of the cour des comptes (Audit Court)

    1962

    Charg岢 de mission at the Government Secretariat-General

    Charg岢 de mission in the private office of Georges Pompidou, Prime Minister

    1965-1993

    Conseiller r岢f岢rendaire (middle-ranking member) of the Cour des comptes

    March 1965 to March 1977

    Member of the Sainte-F岢r岢ole (Corr岢ze) municipal council

    March - May 1967

    National Assembly Deputy fot he Corr岢ze d岢partment

    1967-1968

    State Secretary for Social Affairs, with responsibility for Employment (government of Georges Pompidou)

    1968

    Member of the Corr岢ze General Council for the canton of Meymac, re-elected in 1970, 1976, 1982)

    1968-1971

    State Secretary for the Economy and Finance (governments of Georges Pompidou, Maurice Couve de Murville and Jacques Chaban-Delmas)

    June 1968 - August 1968

    UDR (Union pour la D岢fense de la R岢publique) National Assembly Deputy for the Corr岢ze d岢partement

    Since 1969

    Treasurer of the Fondation Claude Pompidou (a voluntary organization providing assistance particularly for the elderly and handicapped children)

    1970 to March 1979

    Chairman of the Corr岢ze General Council

    1971-1972

    Minister attached ti the Prime Minister, with responsibility for relations with Parliament (government of Jacques Chaban-Delmas)

    1972-1973

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (government of Pierre Messmer)

    March 4 1973 to May 5 1973

    Re-elected National Assembly Deputy for the Corr岢ze d岢partement

    1973-1974

    Minister of the Interior (government of Messmer)

    1974

    Minister of the Interior (government of Messmer)

    27 May, 1974

    Prime Minister

    December 1974 - June 1975

    Union des D岢mocrates pour la R岢publique (UDR) General Secretary

    June 1975

    UDR, Honorary General Secretary

    25 August 1976

    Tendered his government resignation

    1976 to 15 May 1995

    Re-elected National Assembly Deputy for Corr岢ze d岢partement, 3rd constituency

    5 December 1976 to 12 November 1994

    Elected Chairman of the Rassemblement pour la R岢publique (RPR)

    20 March 1977 to 16 May 1995

    Elected Mayor of Paris

    1 May 1979

    Elected Chairman of the Association internationale des Maires et Responsables des Capitales et M岢tropoles partiellement ou enti岢rement francophones (AIMF) (international association of mayors and those in charge of partially or entirely French-speaking capitals and cities)

    June 10, 1979

    Elected to the European Parliament - D岢fense des Int岢r岢ts de la France en Europe (defending France's interests in Europe) list. He resigned his seat in 1980

    20 March 1986 to 10 May 1988

    Prime minister (Cohabitation)

    7 May 1995

    Elected President of the French Republic

    17 May 1995

    Inauguration as President of the Republic

    5 May 2002

    Re-elected President of the French Republic

    16 May 2002

    Inauguration as President of the Republic

    Published works

    Thesis at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques: le D岢veloppement du Port de la Nouvelle- Orl岢ans (development of the Port of New Orleans) (1954)

    Discours pour la France 岬 l'Heure du Choix, Editions Stock (1978)

    "La lueur de l'esp岢rance: r岢flexion du soir pour le matin" Editions La Table Ronde (1978)

    "Une nouvelle France, R岢flexions 1 " Nil Editions (1994)

    "La France pour Tous" Nil Editions (1995)

(Source: CRIENGLISH. com)