In pictures: Jacques Chirac

October 14 1977, Montereau: Mr Chirac, in front of a portrait of General Charles de Gaulle during a meeting of the party Rally for the Republic Photograph: Michael Clement/AFP

February 8 1978, Paris: Mr Chirac appears on French television Photograph: Richard Melloul/Corbis

March 22 1981, Paris: Mr Chirac with his wife Bernadette, and their two daughters Laurence (l) and Claude, in the City Hall garden Photograph: Henri Bureau/Corbis

June 14 1981, Paris: Mr Chirac at work in his office during the weekend of the first round of the legislative elections Photograph: Henri Bureau/Corbis

March 31 1987, Washington, US: Mr Chirac with thr US president, Ronald Reagan, during his official visit to the US Photograph: Jean Louis Atlan/Corbis

August 29 1987, St. Pierre: Mr Chirac Photograph: Jacques Langevin/Corbis

May 17 1995, Paris: The outgoing president Francois Mitterrand walks towards a waiting car in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace as new president, Mr Chirac looks on. Mitterrand leaves the Elysee Palace after 14 years of power Photograph: Pascal Pavani/AFP

October 27 1991, Paris: Mr Chirac's silhouette Photograph: Antoine Gyori/Corbis

July 12 1998, Saint Denis: Mr Chirac celebrates after France won the World Cup, defeating Brazil 3-0 in the Stad du France Photograph: AP

March 14 2002, Marseille: Mr Chirac waves to his RPR supporters during the controversial 2002 presidential elections Photograph: Jacques Langevin/Corbis

May 5 2002, Paris: Mr Chirac and his wife, Bernadette, wave to supporters after his re-election. After two weeks of public demonstrations against the rightwing National Front challenger, Jean Marie Le Pen, voters gave a resounding mandate to Mr Chirac Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

July 25 2002, Paris: Mr Chirac during a press conference at the Elysee Palace Photograph: Michel Euler/AP

June 5 2004, Paris: George Bush and Mr Chirac hold a press conference at the Elysee Palace Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

January 18 2005, Toulouse: Mr Chirac and Tony Blair during the official unveiling ceremony for the Airbus A380 at the Blagnac Airbus production plant Photograph: Georges Gobet/AFP

February 20 2006, New Delhi, India: Mr Chirac listens to a speaker during the India-France Economic Partnership meeting Photograph: Gurinder Osan/AP

May 8 2007, Paris: Mr Chirac attends the ceremonies to mark the 62nd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany during the second world war Photograph: Jacques Brinon/AFP

May 14 2007, Paris: An employee of the Grevin wax museum holds the figure of president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy to replace the one of the outgoing president, Mr Chirac Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP