PARIS, September 29. /TASS/. Hundreds of French citizens gathered at Les Invalides in Paris to say farewell to former French President Jacques Chirac, a TASS correspondent reported on Sunday.
People started queueing in front of the building since 6.30 a.m. on Sunday. The body of the former leader was taken to Les Invalides for an official commemoration service at 1 p.m. local time. The ceremony is expected to be attended by Chirac’s relatives, but it is still unknown whether his wife Bernadette will come.
According to an opinion poll by Ifop published by Le Journal du dimanche on Sunday, some 30% of respondents consider Chirac as the best president of the Fifth Republic. The French citizens praised the ex-president especially for being close to the people and his positive image of a person, who enjoys life. Among his major achievements they named the refusal to join the US campaign in Iraq, scrapping compulsory military service, cutting presidential term to five years, official recognition of France’s participation in deporting Jews during World War II and his 2002 speech in Johannesburg when he called on the world leaders to address climate change.
More than 5,000 people have written kind words about the former leader in a book at the Elysee Palace.
Jacques Chirac passed away on September 26 at the age of 86, with his loved ones by his bedside. He served as France's president from 1995 to 2007 and retired from politics after his second office. In 2005, he was diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease. In 2016, his health deteriorated dramatically following the passing of his elder daughter. The last three years, he did not take part in official ceremonies and rarely invited visitors.
Monday was declared a day of national morning in France. Flags will be lowered to half-staff and a minute’s silence will be held in public buildings across the country.