Bernadette Chirac, the steadfast widow of former French President Jacques Chirac and a respected public figure in her own right, has passed away at the age of 93. The news was confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Saturday by the couple’s daughter, Claude Chirac.
According to Claude Chirac, Bernadette died peacefully on Friday evening, surrounded by her close family. Just one week before her death, she had celebrated her 93rd birthday on May 18.
For much of her public life, Bernadette Chirac was widely viewed as operating in the shadow of her charismatic husband, who led France from 1995 to 2007 and earned global recognition for his bold opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Jacques Chirac passed away in 2019, and throughout their decades-long marriage, Bernadette remained unwaveringly by his side even amid well-documented public revelations of his infidelities — a topic both addressed openly in their respective autobiographical memoirs.
Beyond her role as first lady, Bernadette Chirac carved out an independent political legacy that sets her apart from all other women who have held the position of France’s first lady. From 1979 to 2015, she served continuously as a general councillor for the central French department of Correze, making her the only first spouse in modern French history to hold elected public office in her own name.
Her signature quiet demeanor and consistently polished public image also turned her into a beloved cultural icon in France. In 2023, one of the country’s most celebrated screen stars, Catherine Deneuve, portrayed her in a feature film chronicling her years in the Elysee Palace, titled simply *Bernadette*.
Current French President Emmanuel Macron quickly issued a public tribute following news of Bernadette’s death, praising her as a “great woman of heart” who left an indelible mark on French history. In a post on X, Macron highlighted that Bernadette changed countless lives through her quiet, determined service, both as an elected representative for the people of Correze and through her decades-long leadership of a French hospital foundation, where her consistent commitment improved outcomes for millions of ordinary patients across the country.