Jacques Chirac faces corruption trial

Jacques Chirac will become France's first former president to go on trial when he appears in the dock on corruption charges today.

He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of €150,000 (about 128,000) if convicted of creating fictional jobs for his political cronies while Paris mayor in the 1980s and 1990s.

Chirac, 78, used his presidential immunity to avoid legal action until he stepped down in 2007. But after a three-year investigation, prosecutors charged him last year.

He repaid 450,000 he allegedly misused, but that only meant the civil case against him was dropped, not any criminal charges.

The trial brings together two sets of allegations.