With a memorable funeral, France has said goodbye to its former president Jacques Chirac. Political celebrities from all over the world paid their respects to the Frenchman in the Saint-Sulpice cathedral in Paris.
Archbishop Michel Aupetit said goodbye to Chirac, who died at the age of 86, during his sermon with the words "Adieu et merci, Monsieur Chirac". For the first time since the terrible fire in April, the bell was rung by Notre-Dame again. National mourning raged in France on Monday.
Numerous international guests attended the funeral, including Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Bill Clinton, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, Monaco's Prince Albert II, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri. Chirac died last Thursday. (Read an obituary here.
Schröder's chair remained empty
There was confusion about the participation of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Contrary to expectations, he did not come to the memorial service. His office announced that he would like to attend the funeral. However, it had been reported that the Élyséal Palace had rejected his request for an invitation for reasons of space.
From Élyséekreisen it was said that Schröder was also expected to attend the celebrations. He was on the guest list of the presidential palace, a chair in the church had been reserved for him on Monday morning. No formal invitation had been sent to the ceremony. Rather, they have asked the contacts from abroad to tell who wants to come. It may be a misunderstanding.
On the side of Schröder Chirac had in 2003 against the Iraq attack plans of the then US President George W. Bush supported. He remained internationally remembered for this protest against the American war in Iraq. "Europe has lost a big hit," wrote Schröder on Monday in a guest commentary in the newspaper "Die Welt". Chirac had lived the German-French friendship.
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Funeral in Paris: farewell to ChiracFrench ex-presidents François Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing also paid tribute to Chirac. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte were also in the church, as well as many personalities from French politics and society.
Striking was the absence of Chirac's widow Bernadette. The media reported that she stayed away from the service for health reasons. Also not in Paris was EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker - he had been expected according to Élysée. The European Commission gave no reason for absence on demand and did not confirm possible health reasons.
Archbishop Aupetit praised Chirac in his sermon as a "warmhearted man" who had a true love for the people. He felt as comfortable in the rooms of the Élysée as at agricultural fairs. Chirac's coffin was reportedly brought into and out of Chirac's former bodyguards. Saint-Sulpice is after Notre-Dame the second largest church in Paris, Chirac lived near the church.
In the morning Macron had said goodbye to Saint-Louis-des-Invalides in Paris at a Chirac military ceremony. In the church on the Invalides, the French were able to personally take leave of their former president on Sunday at the coffin. Hundreds of yards long queues formed into the night, thousands came.