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Chirac does surprise TV interview

French President Jacques Chirac, in a rare television interview on Monday evening, attempted to quash rumors of a shake-up in his government and pledged support for his beleaguered prime minister, Dominique de Villepin.

The surprise appearance was Chirac's first primetime TV interview in almost a year and comes as his personal approval ratings have slumped and his conservative government is beset by in-fighting, an alleged political smear campaign and a crisis sparked by delays to the Airbus superjumbo project.

Chirac, 73, was described by one political ally last week as being tired, not his normal "hyperactive" self and "a little bit depressed." He was not due to face a public grilling until his annual interview, broadcast on July 14, the anniversary of the 1789 French revolution.

But he was said to have wanted to confront allegations of political drift.

Chirac has come under increased pressure to sack his protege, de Villepin, and restore order to conservative ranks ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections in spring next year.

De Villepin insists he is not under pressure. But last week he took the unusual step of suing the authors of three books about the Clearstream affair, an alleged political smear campaign.
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