Das sagte mal einer, der es sich leisten konnte. Dank der Traditionsstärke unserer französischen Nachbarn könnte man auch heute wieder vom Sonnenkönig sprechen:

> aus: International Herald Tribune, 15.1.2005

Plan would shield Chirac as senator for life

PARIS Supporters of President Jacques Chirac are pushing for a constitutional change that would make him a senator for life after he leaves office and thus shield him from the threat of future legal proceedings, newspapers reported Friday.
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The proposed measure would mean that all former presidents automatically become members of the upper house of Parliament instead of joining the Constitutional Council, France's highest judicial authority, which they do under the existing arrangement.
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Chirac, 72, cannot be prosecuted as long as he remains president, but when he steps down he risks being placed under judicial investigation in a series of party-finance scams during his 18-year tenure as mayor of Paris.
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By becoming a life senator, the conservative president would enjoy parliamentary immunity, which would make it extremely difficult, though not impossible, to bring him before the courts, the left-leaning Libération and Le Monde newspapers said.
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The risk of being made to face trial after he loses his presidential immunity is believed to be a major factor in Chirac's deliberations over whether to run for an unprecedented third term in 2007. So far he has kept the possibility open.
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The proposal, which would require changing the country's 1958 constitution, is being promoted by Senator Patrice Gélard, a Chirac supporter, and will be formally proposed in the Senate on Tuesday, Le Monde said.
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But both papers agreed that its chances of success were small, as any constitutional change would have to be confirmed by referendum.
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Chirac was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995, during which time courts have established that his Rally for the Republic party used a number of illegal devices to raise money with its influence at City Hall. Attempts to question Chirac on the affair have foundered because of his presidential immunity.
.PARIS Supporters of President Jacques Chirac are pushing for a constitutional change that would make him a senator for life after he leaves office and thus shield him from the threat of future legal proceedings, newspapers reported Friday.
.
The proposed measure would mean that all former presidents automatically become members of the upper house of Parliament instead of joining the Constitutional Council, France's highest judicial authority, which they do under the existing arrangement.
.
Chirac, 72, cannot be prosecuted as long as he remains president, but when he steps down he risks being placed under judicial investigation in a series of party-finance scams during his 18-year tenure as mayor of Paris.
.
By becoming a life senator, the conservative president would enjoy parliamentary immunity, which would make it extremely difficult, though not impossible, to bring him before the courts, the left-leaning Libération and Le Monde newspapers said.
.
The risk of being made to face trial after he loses his presidential immunity is believed to be a major factor in Chirac's deliberations over whether to run for an unprecedented third term in 2007. So far he has kept the possibility open.
.
The proposal, which would require changing the country's 1958 constitution, is being promoted by Senator Patrice Gélard, a Chirac supporter, and will be formally proposed in the Senate on Tuesday, Le Monde said.
.
But both papers agreed that its chances of success were small, as any constitutional change would have to be confirmed by referendum.
.
Chirac was mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995, during which time courts have established that his Rally for the Republic party used a number of illegal devices to raise money with its influence at City Hall. Attempts to question Chirac on the affair have foundered because of his presidential immunity.
.