Date set for Chirac court hearing

Former French President Jacques Chirac is to stand trial next March in a party financing scandal – and become the first leader of modern-day France to face a court.

Chirac, now 77, is charged with embezzlement and breach of trust in a case that dates to his time as mayor of Paris City Hall, from 1977 to 1995.

The trial will be held between March 7 and April 8.

The long-standing case centres on a scheme of creating fake jobs to finance operations of his conservative party.

He made a deal earlier this week to pay financial reparations to City Hall.

Chirac and the governing UMP party agreed to pay €2.2m in losses sustained by the city. But the payment does not eliminate the trial.

Chirac was president of France from 1995 to 2007.