Bernadette Chirac, Quiet Power at the Élysée, Dies at 93

Bernadette Chirac, the formidable former first lady of France who used her influence to run a major hospital charity, shape the Élysée’s politics, and champion women’s authority in a male-dominated political culture, has died at age 93. Her life spanned her sciences-po meeting with Jacques Chirac, decades of public service, and a lasting legacy in philanthropy, culminating in a national tribute after her husband’s death.