Page "Jacques Chirac" Paragraph 69

At the age of 69, Chirac faced his fourth presidential campaign in 2002.

He received just 20 % of the vote in the first ballot of the presidential elections in April 2002.

It had been expected that he would face incumbent prime minister Lionel Jospin ( PS ) in the second round of elections ; instead, Chirac faced controversial far right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen of National Front ( FN ) who came in 200, 000 votes ahead of Jospin.

All parties outside the National Front ( except for Lutte ouvrière ) called for opposing Le Pen, even if it meant voting for Chirac.

The 14-day period between the two rounds of voting was marked by demonstrations against Le Pen and slogans such as " Vote for the crook, not for the fascist " or " Vote with a clothespin on your nose ".

Chirac won re-election by a landslide, with 82 percent of the vote on the second ballot.

However, Chirac became increasingly unpopular during his second term.

According to a July 2005 poll, 32 percent judged Chirac favorably and 63 percent unfavorably.

In 2006, The Economist wrote that Chirac " is the most unpopular occupant of the Elysée Palace in the fifth republic's history.