Bernadette Chirac, Formidable Ex-First Lady of France, Dies at 93

Long seen as the cool, coifed wife of the president, she emerged as a political player in her own right, as well as a relentless champion of charities. Widow of French ex-president Jacques Chirac was a steely behind-the-scenes operator known for her charity workBernadette Chirac, the formidable widow of the former French president Jacques Chirac and a driving force behind his political rise, has died at the age of 93.As France’s first lady for 12 years, Chirac was a steely behind-the-scenes operator in support of her husband, who served twice as prime minister, 18 years as mayor of Paris and two terms as president.