LONDON -- A year ago, he was dropping in the polls as he faced a tough re-election fight. Allegations of political and financial scandal surrounded him. His rival for the presidency accused him of being old and tired. Five years of having ruled with a government of the opposing party had marginalized him.
Now, the transformation of Jacques Chirac into the darling of opponents of a war in Iraq, a figure who strides the world stage as the prime counterweight to U.S. President George W. Bush has been astounding. And it is not only over Iraq that the 70-year-old French president is cutting a dash.
In the European Union, he has made clear that France will break the budget-deficit rules of the euro zone so that he can carry through spending plans despite falling growth that is reducing tax receipts. He ambushed Britain and other proponents of reform of the expensive European farm policy by forming an alliance with Germany to put off changes to a system that greatly benefits French farmers. Elsewhere, he has annoyed critics of Zimbabwe by inviting President Robert Mugabe to a Franco-Africa summit in Paris.