Jacques Chirac hit by fresh corruption charges

Former French president Jacques Chirac is to face a second corruption trial relating to his time as Paris mayor.

The 78-year-old already faces embezzlement charges and will appear before judges in the spring.

Now prosecutors in the suburb of Nanterre have ordered that Mr Chirac be tried for "illegal conflict of interest" over claims that he used Paris town hall funds to pay seven political allies for fictitious jobs in the early Nineties.

If convicted, he could face a five-year jail term and a 75,000 (£67,000) fine. Instructing Judge Jacques Gazeaux said it was possible that both prosecutions could take place at the same time, although this was by no means certain. The new trial is due for the middle of next year.

Mr Chirac, who left politics in 2007, denies any wrongdoing. His office said: "President Chirac reiterates that there was no (fictitious jobs) system', at the Paris mayor's office."

His 18-year term as mayor was plagued by corruption allegations but investigations were frozen during his 12 years as president because he enjoyed immunity from prosecution.

Last month, Mr Chirac became the first former French head of state to be ordered to stand trial for corruption. He faces charges of "abuse of trust" and "misuse of public funds" which could see him sentenced to three or 10 years in jail respectively. This case hinges on claims that nine names on the city hall payroll were working only for his political party, the Right-wing RPR.

Since retiring Chirac has devoted his time to writing his memoirs and launching a charitable foundation.