Chirac excapes questioning in corruption probe

Troubled French President Jacques Chirac may escape being questioned over a corruption scandal after magistrates decided that they don't have the power to summon him.

The climbdown by the judges comes after several months during which President Chirac claimed that , as head of state, he is immune from prosecution.

Investigators were planning to question Chirac about how he received the nearly FR2.5m which he splashed out on luxury family holidays between 1992 and 1995.