PARIS (AP) -- Paris prosecutors said Wednesday they will not appeal a judge's decision to order former French President Jacques Chirac to stand trial in an alleged corruption case that predated his presidency.
The case would mark the first time a former leader of modern France would be forced to defend himself in court.
If convicted, the conservative former leader could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined 150,000 euros ($221,800) and disqualified from public office for 10 years. However, observers have said a prison sentence would be highly unlikely.
Last week, investigative Judge Xaviere Simeoni shocked France by deciding to try Chirac for embezzlement and breach of trust in a corruption case dating back to his 1977-1995 tenure as mayor of Paris. Simeoni has been probing whether people in Chirac's circle were given sham jobs as advisers and paid by Paris City Hall, even though they weren't working for it.
Chirac, 76, said Wednesday he is ready for his day in court, adding that he has "nothing to blame (him)self for." Speaking on Europe-1 radio, Chirac said: "I'm ready to explain myself before the justice system," adding that he would "naturally" appear in court himself. "The only thing that counts is justice."
For years, judges went after Chirac unsuccessfully in various corruption scandals, but he used his presidential immunity to keep them at arm's length. Months after Chirac left office in 2007, Simeoni filed preliminary embezzlement charges against him.
Another member of Chirac's entourage, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, also is having legal problems. Villepin is on trial on charges he orchestrated a smear campaign against Chirac's successor, Nicolas Sarkozy. Villepin denies the charges.
Many in France are worried about how these and other cases involving high-profile French politicians will affect the country's reputation abroad.
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