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The widow of former French president Jacques Chirac, Bernadette Chirac, has died at the age of 93, her daughter Claude Chirac told AFP on Saturday.
The former first lady passed away peacefully on Friday evening, surrounded by her family.
Her charismatic husband served as president from 1995 to 2007 and famously opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq before he died in 2019.
Throughout their marriage, Bernadette stood by her late husband despite his notorious romantic affairs, which both partners later addressed in their memoirs.
She also witnessed her husband become the first French president convicted of graft in 2011, when a court handed him a two-year suspended sentence for channelling public money to political party workers during his tenure as Paris mayor.
Deep tragedy also marked her family life, as her eldest daughter, Laurence, died of a heart attack at age 58 in 2016 after battling anorexia since 1974.
Bernadette Chirac carved out her own unique legacy as the only French first lady to hold political office in her own right, serving continuously as a general councillor in the central Corrèze department from 1979 to 2015.
Her discretion and immaculate appearance transformed her into a cultural icon, inspiring the 2023 biographical film “Bernadette” starring French screen legend Catherine Deneuve.
President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to her on X, labelling her a “great woman of heart” who left an indelible mark on French history and changed millions of lives through her deep commitment as head of a hospital’s foundation.
Mon épouse et moi avons appris avec beaucoup de tristesse la disparition de Bernadette Chirac.
Première dame, elle a marqué notre Histoire aux côtés du président Jacques Chirac, la vie de la Corrèze où elle était élue, le destin de millions de malades anonymes aussi,… pic.twitter.com/cMC0BXZyLq
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 6, 2026
Current first lady Brigitte Macron also expressed her grief, revealing that Mrs Chirac provided vital guidance and support starting in 2017 and maintained regular contact with her until very recently.
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, a long-time protégé of Jacques Chirac, mourned the loss of a great friend who supported him both politically and personally.
Sarkozy, who recently faced his own legal troubles and a brief jailing over a graft conviction last year, remarked on X that her passing brings an end to an era.
Avec la disparition de Bernadette Chirac, je perds une grande amie qui m’a toujours soutenu politiquement comme personnellement. Elle était fidèle, courageuse, drôle, intransigeante, affectueuse. Je ne saurais choisir entre tous les souvenirs merveilleux comme douloureux que nous… pic.twitter.com/bflPeI5DGp
— Nicolas Sarkozy (@NicolasSarkozy) June 6, 2026
He added that his only consolation lies in knowing that Bernadette will now be reunited with Jacques and their daughter, Laurence.
