FRANCE:The French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy and the Élysée Palace yesterday denied allegations that Mr Sarkozy agreed to sneak a "disguised amnesty" for the outgoing president, Jacques Chirac, through legislation this summer in the event of Mr Sarkozy being elected president on May 6th.
According to the weekly investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné, Mr Sarkozy agreed to end all judicial proceedings against Mr Chirac in exchange for his support in the election.
As president of France for the past 12 years, Mr Chirac enjoyed immunity from prosecution.
Three cases against the president, all involving illegal funding of his Gaullist party while he was mayor of Paris, were suspended while he was in office. Political satirists joked that Mr Chirac was condemned to remain president for life to avoid prosecution.
Mr Sarkozy said the article was "in no way based on reality", adding: "I deny it in the most firm and complete terms." The Élysée said the report was "completely without foundation and as such requires no comment".
The Canard Enchaîné has assiduously pursued Mr Sarkozy during the campaign, raising questions about his tax returns, the discount he allegedly received from a property developer on the purchase of a luxury flat and an apparent conflict of interest in the sale of a government-owned concert hall while Mr Sarkozy was finance minister.
If such a deal existed between Mr Chirac and Mr Sarkozy, the candidate may feel cheated. Aside from a brief statement last month that he "naturally" supported Mr Sarkozy, Mr Chirac has remained silent.
At a rally where she appeared with Mr Sarkozy last week, the first lady, Bernadette Chirac, said he was the candidate most capable of pulling France out of her difficulties.
If he wins, Mr Sarkozy has said he will ask parliament to ratify a revised law on delinquency in July. According to the Canard Enchaîné, an amendment to the law would force magistrates to bring cases to prosecution within 10 years, beyond which point the case would be abandoned.
The cases against Mr Chirac are all more than 10 years old.
Mr Chirac has appointed three associates to important judicial posts, leading to speculation that he was protecting himself.
In March, Philippe Courroye, a judge considered close to the Gaullists, was named public prosecutor for the Nanterre tribunal, which has jurisdiction over a case involving party jobs that were illegally financed by the city of Paris.
In February, Jean-Louis Debré, the outgoing speaker of the National Assembly and a Chirac loyalist, was made president of the constitutional council.
Last year, Mr Chirac made his judiciary adviser, Laurent Le Mesle, the public prosecutor for Paris, where another case against him is pending.