"THE DIVIDE" "Last Council of Ministers presided by Pompidou." "March 27, 1974." "The fundamental question however, is the British participation in the Europe of nine." "I'd add, Mr. President, that the concern to resolve this question is why the Foreign Affairs minister is currently travelling." "Thank you, Mr. Secretary of State." "Mr. Prime Minister, Pierre Messmer, may we close?" "The next Council of Ministers is set for Wednesday, April 3." "I think Mr. President, that we can cancel the one on the 10th." "I agree." "Just make sure that the ministers don't go the Canary Islands, or to Bermuda." "I'd like to say a few words about something that's not on the Council of Minister's agenda." "Lately, my life hasn't been pleasant, not physically, or emotionally even though I don't read the press too much." "I'm in an absurd position where if I stay quiet they say: "too silent!"" "and if I share my opinion, they say: "what a talker!"" "I'd like the ministers to understand that I'm not always happy." "It's not a big deal." "It'll be over soon." "But if people ask you, don't say:" ""The president is doing great."" "Simply say that such questions are indiscreet." "I'm not staying at home, quai de Béthune, just to rest." "It's where I am comfortable, and where my son can take care of me." "Just know that at quai de Béthune I receive my files," "I meet with advisors, and fulfill all of my duties." "That said, I'm not scampering." "I chose how I would say what is going on." "I hope I won't have to say much more." "I'm going to Carjac, to rest for a few days." "I should feel better afterwards." "I truly hope that I can continue to annoy people." "Gentlemen, thank you." "Mr. Poniatowski is waiting for you." "Sad day, Valéry." "It's over, Michel." "The President held his last Council." "We need to get ready." "I'd be surprised if they saw us as de Gaulle's or Pompidou's heirs." ""Heirs?" The heirs will destroy each other." "It's our chance, meaning yours." "Chaban-Delmas will think that his time has come." "He's very popular, but has a lot of enemies with Pompidou." "As the British say:" ""Let's wait and see."" "And remain discreet." "6 days later Hôtel Matignon, April 2, 1974" "I had a meeting with Pompidou, yesterday morning." "He was in a good mood, he seemed well." "He wanted to talk about his life, the people he liked." "Jacques, you're in the best position." "He swears by you." "This afternoon, he had a nasal hemorrhage." "His son said that they are doing what they can." "I want to believe him, but no one is fooled." "Especially not the French." "They should have been told, but that's not customary in this country." "It's not customary, because the president is working." "He's ill, but working." "Jacques, we understand that your affection for him is keeping you from seeing reality, but this is an organized lie." "The State is not in danger." "Olivier, do you see yourself running after journalists saying:" ""He's sick, but it's OK"?" "It might be better than continue lying." "Mr. Balladur on the phone." "It's urgent." "In the countryside, 35 miles from Paris, in the cemetery of Orvilliers, President Pompidou had the most modest burial imaginable." "The ceremony only lasted a few minutes, no flowers, no cortege, no speeches, only the people closest to him, as he had wanted it." "About 15 people, family, friends..." "Mr. Pierre Juillet, Mrs. Marie-France Garaud." "I'm starting to realize that I'll never see him again." "Should we come back later?" "No." "I just wanted to watch it again." "This ceremony was devastating." "How is Claude?" "As you saw in church:" "graceful, tough." "We don't want to waste your time." "Do you know why we're here?" "You were Pompidou's closest advisers, and his friends." "He asked us to watch over you." "And that's what we'll do, just as he wanted us to." "We need to talk about what was said at lunch." "Yes." "After the funeral mass," "I wasn't in the mood to talk shop." "Giscard and Ponia were, even though they tried to hide their game." " What "game?"" " Giscard's little number:" ""I won't run if everyone agrees to Messmer."" "It was bluff." "Giscard will be a candidate." "What makes you so sure?" "Giscard knows that Messmer won't be a candidate." "Messmer will run if you tell him to." "Giscard knows that Messmer will not run against Chaban, and Chaban just announced that he was running." "Yes, I saw." "So?" "Chaban can't be president." "There's only one solution." "I'm listening." "You." "You told me that Pompidou had high hopes for me, but he thought I was too young." "So... what is it?" "Jacques..." "You are almost 42 years old." "You're the Minister of the Interior." "The President of the Republic saw you as his heir." "There are several roads to the top." "Taking the shortest one today would be a mistake." "We're suggesting something smarter." "And you think that stopping Chaban from becoming president will open the palace gates?" "Exactly." "What do we need to do?" "Become Giscard's best supporter." "Be the switch that'll help him win." "Why don't you want Chaban?" "He hasn't left his company." "You know what Pompidou thought." "He only talks about what Delors and Nora insisted on:" ""Reforms"." "And personally, reforms nauseate me." "The Gaullists won't follow him, and Mitterrand will be elected." "Gaullists are grouches." "They'll complain, but they'll follow." " No." "You are crazy." " No, Jacques." "There's a legacy:" "de Gaulle's and Pompidou's." "One day, it'll be yours." "In the meantime, Giscard is the only card we can play." "You won't line up behind Chaban, a traitor?" "If he's a traitor, then what is Giscard?" "A traitor, too." "We didn't forget that he betrayed de Gaulle in 1969." "But don't forget that Giscard is a means, not a destination." "You are the destination." "You will simply use the best means, that's all." "Do you think that Chaban will back out?" "He doesn't need to." "It's like it never happened." "His mistake was to announce it this afternoon." "Pompidou just buried, he shows up with his worldly-dancer looks." "He left too soon." "He's done." "It's somewhat our doing." "We made sure he heard that Giscard would run." "He fell into the trap." "When you don't respect a country's mourning, you can't expect the country to want you as their leader." "Yes, it was inappropriate." "That's the word." "The press will be delighted to hear you say that." "There are 43 deputies from the Gaullist Party publishing a manifesto supporting Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who announced he'd be running for president on April 8," "4 days after Jacques Chaban-Delmas." "4 symbolic days, "days of decency", as stated by the Minister of the Interior, Jacques Chirac, who initiated the support for Giscard d'Estaing with 43 deputies." "Now, more news..." "What do you think of all this?" "It won't be easy." "They are estimates, that we will adjust throughout the evening, but they shouldn't be very different from the ones that we will announce in 10 seconds." "So, over to the Sofres-SIA." "5, 4, 3, 2, 1... results." "This is Sofres." "François Mitterrand: 44%." "Valéry Giscard d'Estaing: 33%." "Jacques Chaban-Delmas: 13.60%." "Jean Royer: 3.50%." "1 week later at Michel Poniatowski's house" "He's here." "I think he already knows what we'll say." "Juillet always knows, but pretends he doesn't." "My dear friend, how are you?" "Valéry thought it would be useful for Michel d'Ornano, and I to give you an update, between the rounds." "Come." "So?" "What's the atmosphere?" "Excellent." "Giscard is fighting more than ever." "The television debate won't help Mitterrand." "You are confident." "Mitterrand is the past." "Giscard will tell him." "The past is the capital of old foxes." "Probably." "But you and I prefer to believe in young wolves." "Isn't that right?" "Giscard will win, and it will be thanks to you." "We need to think about the next step, the composition of the future government." "You will have your post." "Which one?" "Why not the top one?" "Prime Minister?" "I'm flattered, but that's not for me." "So it'll be Guichard." "Giscard wants Matignon to be Gaullist again." "Chirac." "Chirac, Prime Minister?" "Chirac, Prime Minister." " We'll think about it." " You must've expected it." "He's led the deputies who campaigned for Giscard, but you are the inspiration." "Because Marie-France Garaud and I are Chirac's advisors, just as we were Georges Pompidou's." "Exalting task." "So, what do you think of our candidate for Matignon?" "We also thought of Robert Boulin." "Whatever the future president's decision may be, it'll be the right one, since it'll be Gaullist." "But as you said, we have a preference for young wolves." "The results can no longer change, aside from a few decimal points." "And looking at the board, we can see that the Sofres-ORTF estimate was 50.80% for Mr. Giscard d'Estaing." "Currently, it's at 50.66." "2 days later at Michel Poniatowski's house" "He'll be here in 5 minutes." "Arthur Conte said that making Chirac my Prime Minister was a competitive faux-pas." "He loves exaggerating." "He's not." "He's not the only one to warn you." "Chirac has a good profile." "His commitment in the campaign proves that I can count on him." "Because he asked 43 Gaullists to say "long live Giscard?"" "That wasn't his idea, it's just to get on the map, not to help you out." "Chirac is a boa." "He'll eat and swallow anything in his way." "Juillet and Garaud created a method from his appetite." "Don't let them force a Premier Minister on you." "If he leaves the Gaullists, we can't do anything about it." "For now." "But let's not turn their maneuvers into a trap." "We're on the same page." "Chirac's future is only possible through us." "He needs us." "We have the upper-hand, right?" "He's a crazy dog, but I know I can tame him." "I'll make it my job." "As you wish." "But don't think that the knives will remain hidden." "They've already been sharpened." "I'll meet him in the garden." "You can stay here." "No blood will drip on the walls today." "What a beautiful garden." "Yes, it is." "There are many around Paris, but many are abandoned." "I thought it would be nicer for us to meet here." "Our friend Michel Poniatowski lets me work from his house." "I'm trying to quit, but as you see..." "I solved the problem by never starting." "I admire you." "It's not easy to avoid drinks and cigarettes, in politics." "Listen," "I'm not keen on formal thank yous, but I'd like to express my gratitude for all of your support." "You spared no efforts." "When you believe in someone, and in something, it's quite easy, and I didn't believe in Chaban." "Pompidou neither, you know." "Chaban is like Mitterrand, they're old news." "You know they are friends." "They are old friends." "They've been through a lot together." "A new era has begun." "I promised the French people change." "I want a modern France, but I won't do it without you." "I'd like to ask you to be my Prime Minister." "Mr. President, I'm not sure" "I'm the best person for this task." "We have already discussed the possibility." "It's a delicate situation." "Which situation?" "The majority is divided." "All the Gaullist leaders are against me." "And from your end, it won't be well received." "Think again!" "Michel d'Ornano suggested that I call you." "I'm sure that even more people are trying to dissuade you." "What proof, or can I say guarantee, would convince you?" "Mr. President, you ran an excellent campaign." "The French are expecting a lot of you." "I think that one of your collaborators would be better." "Michel Poniatowski, for instance." "I insist in thinking that you'd be the best Prime Minister." "Did it cross your mind, that you might regret making me such an offer?" "I don't think such things." "That would be disloyal towards you." "Would you please think about our conversation?" "I need 24 hours." "There is another solution, Valéry." "The dissolution of the Assembly." "A new election would give you the majority, without de Gaulle and Pompidou's ghosts." "Michel..." "We'd lose that election." "My advance on Mitterrand is not significant." "The French aren't stupid." "If a majority is needed for their new president, they'll give it." "But I already have it." "It needs to be appeased, and that's why I want Chirac." "The historic Gaullists are after him." "Which will make him happier to be with us." "And, as usual, the Gaullists will follow." "And don't forget one thing." "During the campaign, I committed to not dissolving, while Mitterrand promised the opposite." "I played up stability, the spirit of the 5th Republic." "Now that I'm reaping the benefits, I'm not going to engage in risky elections, and start a war with UDR." ""A war?" We can't avoid it." "With, or without the elections." "Mr. Pasqua, they are in the golden room." "Thank you, Éric." "Marie-France." "I hear you are having second thoughts?" "Not second thoughts." "I'm just wondering, that's all." "Yeah..." "We'll see about that." "Can I get you anything?" "Champagne!" "Even if it's premature." " What's bugging you?" " You know very well." "The Gaullists will never forgive me for Chaban." "And I didn't do that to get into Matignon." "I can stay Minister of the Interior." "Do you have an ambition, or not?" "I am fully committed in politics." "We don't need to skip any steps." "Answer my question." "Do you want to lead, or not?" "I want to be clear." "I love action, and serving my country." "The best way to do that, is to be Prime Minister." "Otherwise, we're crushed." "The Gaullists won't disappear, if I don't go to Matignon." "Guichard can represent us, and he has the party with him." "Except, you need to go." "Give me one reason to justify this." ""One reason?" There are one thousand reasons." "What are you waiting for?" "That Gaullisme is dissolved in Poniatowski's warm bath?" "That France turns into bubblegum, or a cheese cake?" "I imagine you want to look at the General's portrait without shame." "If you need another reason, here's one:" "I didn't get these wrinkles to bring you 43 officials on a silver platter, and ask the UDR to put everything on hold, so you can be picky." "I did it for you, Chirac." "Not for Guichard, or anyone else." "Because you are the heir." "Pompidou drummed it into us." "It was actually annoying." "Is that a good enough reason, or should I go on?" "Hard day?" "Am I wrong?" "Difficult." "And the result?" "I can't carry the future of Gaullism on my shoulders, alone." "I'm going to see the girls." "Claude is already asleep." "Jacques." "It's not the future of Gaullism at stake." "It's Jacques Chirac's." "Think about it, as you tuck them in." "Élysée Palace May 27, 1974" "Mr. Prime Minister." " Hello, Mr. President." " Good to see you." "I don't think this room was ever a President's office." "You are right." "I am the first." "I did not want to move in to de Gaulle's." "Imagine the comments, if I had." "I'm in a position to make a full proposal for the government." "I thought of it myself." "We will probably realize that our ideas overlap." "A few names matter to me." "Well." "Start by sharing their names, Mr. President." "I'd like the Ministry of the Interior to go to" "Michel Poniatowski, with the rank of Minister of State." "He'll be number 2 in the government." "As Minister of Finance, Jean-Pierre Fourcade." "And thought of Jean Lecanuet for Justice." "You're about to say I've forgotten Michel d'Ornano." "As you know, he is an important manufacturer." "And I think that it's in this field that he will best serve the country, as the Minister of Industry." "Do you have a name for Foreign Affairs?" "Jean Sauvagnargues seems like a good choice." "I still have 3 ideas that could be interesting." "I'd like a Ministry of Reform, to mark France's entry into modern times." "You have to rock the boat sometimes." "I'd like this Ministry to go to my friend, Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber." "What do you think?" " The President of L'Express?" " I promised change." "That's why I'm considering a Secretary of State who deals with women's rights, that would go to Françoise Giroud." "What you're announcing, Mr. President, are not ministerial nominations." "It's L'Express in the government, with those who fought de Gaulle and Pompidou." "Françoise Giroud is an incontestable leader." "I'm not contesting her, Mr. President, but incontestable leaders aren't always good ministers." "Do you know Anne-Marie Fritsch, Deputy of Moselle?" "Yes." "What do you think of her as Health Minister?" "Never, Mr. President." "Why is that?" "I'd like you to nominate Mrs. Simone Veil for that position." "If I'm not wrong," "Simone Veil is the general secretary for the Supreme Council of Magistracy." "Her field is justice." "But you assigned that Ministry to Mr. Jean Lecanuet." "Simone Veil will be perfect as Health Minister." "She's an old friend." "We will need big reforms with this Ministry, particularly on the abortion bill." "This bill is very important to me." "The battle will be hard, in the Assembly, and the Senate." "They need experience." "Simone Veil has the best experience, she's a magistrate." "And I can personally help her on the abortion bill." "I think that the Gaullists would be more open to the reform, if it was led by one of their own." "And Simone Veil is more centralist." "It won't be an issue." "You want your reform." "I want Simone Veil." "Since she's a friend," "I understand that her nomination is a condition." "A Prime Minister can't impose conditions on the President." "Otherwise, the president would replace him." "Let's move along." "Juillet and Garaud wanted to see you tonight." "I said you couldn't." "You did the right thing." "They can't think that they're the Prime Ministers." "I'm going out." "Thanks, Jérôme." "At 10am, in the Murat room, on the ground floor of the Élysée, the president gathered his Council of Ministers and the head of government, Jacques Chirac." "I'll see him tomorrow." "Tell him not to worry." "Thank you so much, my dear friend." "...presented by the Prime Minister." "It's not necessary." "Ah, Marie-France." "You saw the same thing I did." "The only thing missing was Poniatowski's smile." "A President refusing to shake hands with his Prime Minister in front of the cameras, that's not an accident." "Pasqua called." "He tallied every humiliation." "So after the anti-Gaullists in government, we're now at 3." "What did I miss?" "Chirac knew that he could offer me a Ministry." "He preferred Simone Veil." "It wouldn't have hurt to be clearer with Chirac." "He knows what to do, when it's explained." "Count on me to tighten the reins." "We can't say it's a good start." "The question is:" "do we counterattack, or do we pretend it never happened?" "At this hour, a Head of Cabinet has no opinion." " Where is Jacques?" " Dinner at Claude Pompidou's." "I'm repeating myself, but it's the most beautiful view Paris." "Georges said that such a view made him feel eternal." "He'd come out on this balcony, look at the Parisian night, and recite Baudelaire." ""Melancholy waltz and languid vertigo!" ""The sky is sad and beautiful like an immense altar." ""The sun has drowned in his blood which congeals."" "If only you knew how much he liked you!" "Now's the time to prove that I'm worthy of him." "I lack experience, but no one knows about my drive." "I will fight for him." "He was like a father to me." "Let's go back in." "Bernadette is probably wondering what we're plotting." "I'd like to ask you for a favor, Claude." "Let's try and avoid talking about Giscard, because if I listened to Bernadette," "I should be provoking a duel every morning." "She is not completely wrong." "In the name of France, bombs have exploded again, in the Southern Pacific sky, and Polynesia." "J. J. Servan-Schreiber Reform Minister" "It's something that I opposed, with all my might, last year." "It's something I disapprove of, with the same conviction, this year." "Mr. Minister of the Interior." "Ah, Michel." "The Prime Minister will be here in an hour." "To cry betrayal?" "Better than that." "He wants Servan-Schreiber's resignation." "Well, Jean-Jacques was awkward, true, but resigning..." "Gaullists are accusing you of double play." "That you only authorized new nuclear trials in order to avoid any provocation by the UDR." "To them, your agreement was half-hearted." "That Servan-Schreiber says what you're thinking, out loud." "I assume Chirac will say:" ""It's him, or me."" "It's what I hear from Matignon." "And something else." "They still haven't digested the composition of the government, or that you didn't shake Chirac's hand for the cameras." "I wasn't going to greet him twice." "I had just spent an hour with him in the Council of Ministers." "That's not how they see it." "Don't be fooled." "They are ready to exploit this incident, till you throw up." "What terrible luck!" "I can fix this by talking to Juillet directly." "That would be a sign of weakness." "Giving up on Servan-Schreiber would be too." "No." "It would be taken as a sign of consideration for the Gaullist majority." "It would remove the mines from the fields." "Mr. President of the Republic." "Please be seated." "Before getting to the Council of Ministers' agenda," "I'd like to acknowledge the Reform Minister's decision, who drew his own conclusions about his position on nuclear testing." "A position that is incompatible with the governmental solidarity that we all must have." "With this in mind, I accepted" "Mr. Servan-Schreiber's resignation." "We may now begin." "Mr. Prime Minister, we are listening." "Do we need to wait for Mr. Prime Minister, or can we start, madam?" "5 minutes." "He is with Laurence." "You're the only one I can tell." "I'm not very happy in my position." "I'd like to at least feel useful, but..." "I'm not so sure." "You would've been unhappier if you hadn't been Prime Minister." "It's your life, Dad." "No." "Real life is spending a few hours with you, every day." "How many times have I done that?" "Since you've been ill, I've been trying..." "You know what I want to say." "To redeem myself." "Prime Minister, it's a lifestyle but it's not life." "They're annoying you, huh?" "I can defend myself." "Some people think that I'd agree to anything, but they are wrong." "I am stronger." "I let them believe whatever they want to." "You know what I would like now?" "For you to come and eat with me." "I told your mom that it would just be us two." "I'm not hungry." "I asked the Secretary of State for Culture to join us to help us resolve something that's bothering me." "What is that?" "This Centre Pompidou is atrocious, both esthetically and financially." "I decided to stop the project." "And Michel Guy shares my point of view, right?" "The President is right." "I never thought that it was a good idea to begin with." "Yet, I heard you defend this project in front of Georges Pompidou himself." "You can change your mind, but you can't forget what you owe Pompidou, starting with your career." "I think there's a misunderstanding." "I understand perfectly." "And allow me to say that I'm outraged by such cowardice." "If the decision to stop the Pompidou project is confirmed, you will need to make another:" "a new Prime Minister." "A Prime Minister can't resign over such a low-level decision." "I would." "I won't accept that people question" "Georges Pompidou's final project." "Pompidou is just an example, Pierre." "The real danger is about to come:" "the big circus of legalized abortion." "We are not in a position to kill the bill." "Chirac imposed Simone Veil as the minister." "He won't drop her, he adores her." "She has too much influence over him." "Legalizing abortion may be progressive for Giscard, but it won't fly with us." "They complained about the legal age at 18, and the divorce reform." "So can you imagine this?" "How can we sell Chirac to the Gaullists, if we ask them to vote a law that goes against their beliefs?" "We'll find a way." "Not easy raising a purebred!" "Especially since he's missing an accessory." "Blinders." "When Giscard flatters him, he has a tendency to look his way." "A bridle, Marie-France." "A bridle." "If Chirac doesn't take the UDR, we will be defenseless." "Poniatowski knows that." "The more the Gaullists are divided, the easier they'll disappear." " Especially without a leader." " They might have one." "But it'll be worse." "If Guichard replaces Sanguinetti, Chirac disappears." "Forever." "We only have a few weeks to turn the situation around." "All of UDR behind Chirac." "It's that, or the end." "We'll need to convince the leaders, of course." "But I will set up a new strategy:" "we'll tell each deputy that when the time comes, they will get re-elected, as long as they support Chirac." "If we can get someone elected, we can also beat someone." "I hope we're not wrong." " On what?" " Chirac." "He's hesitant, shy." "He seems afraid of something." "His lack of confidence is due to his father," "Pompidou gave him his confidence back." "You are right, Marie-France." "His purebred muscles need training." "The danger, is that he's impressed by Giscard." "He's fascinated by people who excel in all subjects." "We need to get moving before the piper puts the snake to sleep." "Let's play up their differences." "Giscard represents the elite, bridge, and tea at 5pm." "Chirac represents the people, poker, and grub." "That's our asset." "UDR" "Charles, this isn't a proposal, it's a coup d'état." "We are lucky, in this day and age, we're lucky to have a Prime Minister in our political family." "And you, Alexandre Sanguinetti, General Secretary of our party," "I won't give you lessons in Gaullism, you'd refuse the Prime Minister his place in the movement?" "His place is not at the head." " That's not what we want." " It is." "You, Garaud, Juillet, but you won't say it out loud." "If Chirac wants to take over the party, there will be resistance, and you know what resistance means, here." "Alexandre, you're exaggerating." "What's the problem with Chirac?" "The problem?" "Are you kidding me!" "The problem is that he helped Giscard get elected." "43 from our side may have followed, but many more didn't." "You let the wolf attack the sheep." "Don't complain that the wolf now wants to eat you up." "And don't you dare ask to be the shepherd." "The Prime Minister hasn't threatened to resign for 3 months now." "We should indeed be worried." "I don't think so." "If he had wanted to, he'd have already done it." "I'm sorry to tell you that this calm is misleading." "What do you mean?" "Everything is in place for Chirac to simply bend over, and pick up the UDR." "Having Chirac wouldn't be so bad for us." "Don't think that." "The secret around these tactics is proof that the intentions are hostile." "Tell me, Michel... do you think we can kill this project." "No." "Pasqua's networks are too powerful." "In that case, let's be nice to the Prime Minister." "We shouldn't make him feel isolated." "Let's inform him, over inform him, if necessary." "The question of abortion should be a priority." "This reform is important to me too, but things will go wrong." "Some of the Gaullists will refuse to follow Chirac, and he won't drop Simone Veil." "We shouldn't take his punches." "Michel, what matters, is that this bill is voted." "We need to stay above the quarrels." "We need to think about France, first and foremost." "When doctors, in their practice, break the law, and let it be known publicly, when social services of public associations provide women with information to help them terminate a pregnancy, when, with the same goal, plane trips abroad are openly organized," "then we are in a chaotic situation that cannot go on." "Assassins!" " Criminals!" " Assassins!" "Simone is getting insulted." "Dragged in the mud." "She asked to suspend the session." "She needs you." "I told her you'd call." "No." "I'll go." "She needs someone there." "But I want Giscard to call her." "I'm going to the Assembly." "The deputies must be brought back to their senses." "Simone Veil is fighting alone." "Faced with a wall of hostility and hatred." "She'd appreciate your support." "Thank you, Mr. President." "Will he call her?" "He said he would." "Marie-France wants to talk to you." "She's annoying me!" "You don't like them, do you?" " Who?" " You know very well." "Kiss Simone for me." "She is a wonderful woman." "You're meeting Mr. Messmer at 4:00pm, his place." "Dinner with Mr. Michel Debré at 8:00pm." "I reserved at the 4 Saisons as you asked, a quiet table." "Great." "As for lunch with Mrs. Garaud et Mr. Juillet, they'll wait at the Palais-Royal." "Really!" "Marie-France." "Pierre." "Our only option, after Simone Veil's heinous bill, was to say, and have people say, behind Chirac's back, that his hands were tied, that he couldn't do anything." "This abortion bill was Giscard's idea, his alone." "But Chirac was never opposed to this project." "Anyway, let's not exaggerate, we have female voters too." "They weren't really shocked." "Do you think it was the right message for women?" ""An abortion at taxpayer's expense." ""Don't want a kid?" "Get rid of it for free."" "It's the same as subsidizing illegal abortionists." "What's done is done, Pierre." "We have other battles on the horizon." "Speaking of which." "You might be wondering why you're here." "It's not something that kept me up at night." "This restaurant is near the Constitutional Council." "And in exactly one week, the Council president will have the party leaders, the "barons", over for dinner." "I know." "This dinner will take place before UDR's national council." "Charles, we're counting on you to take a last-minute guest." "You want me to take Chirac by the hand?" "Is that right?" "It's crucial." "We need it." "Can you do it?" "You know what I'm working on?" "Making sure people understand it's in their interest to put the Prime Minister at the head of the party." "For now, I'm being soft." "But, if we need to enter by breaking in, why not?" " There will be risks." " We don't care." "What matters is that Chirac establishes himself." "We trained him for it." "Is Sanguinetti ready to hand over?" "If the leadership is collective." "The solution is so ridiculous, he'll change his mind." "Sanguinetti and I, we're a family affair." "Corsicans who disagree, that doesn't exist." "And with Chaban, is there a risk?" "He wants to settle the score, of course." "We'll see if I worked for nothing for 6 months." "If it works, Giscard will find a new Gaullist party when he gets back from the West Indies." "I'm sure he dreams of it." "Yes, he dreams of it, each time he has a nightmare." "It's not bad." "What do you think?" "Don't you have a dinner tonight?" "I do." "December 12, 1974" "Admit it." "You don't want to go to the dinner." "I don't, I admit it." "Is it important?" "The future." "Yours?" "Apparently." "You'll be very late." "If it's an order..." " Dad." " Yes?" "Do you know this:" ""It's a great folly to wish to be wise all alone"?" " General de Gaulle." " Nope." "La Rochefoucauld." "I'll try to be back in an hour." "My dear friends, before we start, I'd like to welcome the one honoring us with his friendship, and presence despite a very busy schedule." "So thank you, Mr. Prime Minister," "Jacques Chirac, for being with us tonight." "Without further ado, I'll let him speak." "Thank you, Mr. President, and dear Roger Frey, for such a warm welcome." "I wasn't sure if I could come tonight, because of the president's trip to the West Indies." "That is why I'm late, and I hope that you'll forgive me." "I wanted to be here to share a few things that are essential to me, on the day before our movement's National Council." "I'll get straight to the point, and make an observation:" "our political family is an orphan, and sick." "Orphan since President Pompidou left us, sick, because we're profoundly divided, without stability, without a leader." "It's time to react." "I'd even say, time to wake up, before this lethargy turns fatal." "My dear friends, I won't be the Prime Minister who will watch Gaullism disappear with indifference, without reacting." "On the contrary, I plan on playing a key role in this awakening and gathering which is my wish." "We can no longer hide behind a head of State that thinks for us." "We need to start thinking for ourselves." "That's the message I wanted to share with you tonight." "Thank you." "Mr. President, I'd like to say something." "If Prime Minister Chirac has no objection to Prime Minister Chaban-Delmas speaking." "We know that our family needs a leader." "We can thank the Prime Minister for the accurate analysis that he just shared." "One leader, does not mean several." "This is why the envisaged solution of a collective leadership for the movement seems to have been abandoned." "I'd like to nominate Olivier Guichard." "Olivier has the authority and clairvoyance to lead our party in the right direction." "I'm sure that all of our friends agree." "I think that we can proceed..." "If you allow, Mr. President, this is not the time or the place to start the debates, but I want to say that Jacques Chaban-Delmas is right to abandon the idea of collective leadership." "However, entrusting our movement's future to someone as eminent as Olivier Guichard will create an impossible situation." "What is that?" "There will inevitably be a clash with Matignon." "And people will wonder who is leading the majority." "So, you agree to a collective leadership." "I think that it would be easier if I took over the leadership of our movement." "At least it's clear." " But it's not done." " I also want to talk." "I'll be quick." "It's late, and our meals are getting cold." "The Gaullists don't want to eat some of these meals." "I mean grass snakes, hats, and umbrellas." "Our stomachs are rebelling." "They want a cure." "And a cure exists." "But we must be very careful." "The survival of Gaullism is at stake." "Those who understand, know that the Prime Minister's name is the only way out of this trap in which our change-oriented friends want to put us." "Those who don't understand this are taking a considerable risk." "And I wouldn't want to be in their shoes." " Mr. Prime Minister." " Hello, Mr. President." " How was your trip?" " Excellent." "Thank you." "I will inform the Council of Ministers, the trip was very positive." "Myself," "I wanted to congratulate you." "How sympathetic." "Becoming leader of the UDR with 60% of votes, is an extraordinary performance." "This victory is yours." "The UDR is served on a silver platter." "Naturally, not to be beheaded." "Naturally." "I think that thanks to you, we have a strong majority." "We will of course make the best of it." "The Council of Ministers was better than usual." " What do you think?" " Yes, more relaxed." "The Prime Minister was glowing." "The halo of success." "Before the Council, he said:" ""I give you the UDR on a platter."" "And he added:" ""But don't behead it."" "So we have nothing to worry about." "I thought I noticed some hints of loyalty." "Richelieu would cry to prove his good faith, in order to deceive." "How pessimistic, Michel!" "You don't think that making Chirac the UDR's leader was done to make things easier for us?" "Let's be realistic." "The ball is rolling." " They won't stop." " Michel is right." "All our reforms will be fought systematically, even sabotaged." "It'll be Matignon versus the Élysée, every day." "Well, the power is here." "We need to fast-track brainstorming about creating our own party." "In secret." "The slightest rumor would start a war." "That perspective makes me happy:" "the birth of our own party." "The fusion of independent republicans and centralists means we can get rid of UDR and Chirac." "No one could harm you." "The Gaullists will disappear like prehistoric animals." "Let's move on to happier topics." "Any plans for Christmas?" "It's nice here, together." "Yes." "But you have to leave in 10 minutes, for a meeting, a discussion, an emergency..." "But your mother and sister will be back." "I don't like this time of year." "My mother said that at Christmas, families have to be together." "If anyone calls, I won't answer." "Even if it's the President?" "Especially if it's the President." "Unacceptable!" "Hôtel Matignon January 1975" "Poniatowski was a mini-Prime Minister." "Now, the Minister of Finances." " Matignon, no one cares!" " We'll react." "I'm tired of being the Élysée's minion." "Tired of seeing Lecanuet judging me on Wednesdays, with his Maître d'hôtel smile!" "He looks like a toothpaste ad." "You wanted me to be Prime Minster." "Help me do my job." "We'll put it down in black and white." "Meaning?" "Ask the President to specify everyone's role." "That'll be useless." "Let's go step by step." "Play the loyalty card." "I am the only one who is loyal." "Ponia, d'Ornano, Fourcade, Lecanuet..." "Are they loyal towards me?" "I'll rephrase." "Let's make them believe in our loyalty." "I'll prepare the letter, Jacques." "I wanted to thank you for this letter." "I thought that it would be best to talk over lunch." "When things are bad, I believe in expressing it." "Indeed, but could you be more specific, and provide some examples of the issues?" "An example?" "The Finance Minister publicly declared to have more management experience than me." "That's a communication slipup, not an issue." "But you didn't deny it." "When the Minister of Cooperation declared:" ""We need to fight the UDR with all our energy", you didn't give any call to order." "I'll remind Ministers of their duty to be united, and of the fact that there's one head of government, only one." "Mr. President, I will no longer let" "Matignon be the recording room for decisions made elsewhere." "I won't accept it." "Jacques Chirac presided the Mont Valérien ceremony, in the absence of the President, who is in Poland." "The President pronounced a speech at Auschwitz..." "Freaking Poland!" "Couldn't he have picked another date to go to Auschwitz?" "June 18 is for de Gaulle and Mont Valérien." "But that's too much for him." "If it's a scheme, I don't get it." "Unless he's tired of his slowed down Marseillaise." "Stop..." "It's a provocation." "And it will do damage." "Believe me." "Maybe it's what they want:" "an impulsive reaction from us, to prove that the Gaullists are pariahs." "Every day we get kicked in the butt, and we say "Thank you"." "I won't be able to patch the holes much longer." "It'll break." "And I even know when." "In exactly 9 months." "At the cantonal elections." "Want the result?" "We noticed in the first round, that the left-wing opposition won a majority of votes." "Some of the polls published this week said that if the legislative elections were to take place now, the leftwing parties would win the elections." "That'll be the theme of our debate tonight." "We need to retaliate." "Poniatowski is saying we're responsible for the loss." "He's the one making us lose." "Our reaction has to be as severe as what just happened." "We're being blamed for the cantonals." "Let's have a 2nd test." " Early legislatives?" " Exactly." "It's dangerous." "Not bad, but dangerous." "The left is the majority in the country." "There's another risk." "Giscard's supporters won't like it." "And Chirac won't want to start a campaign." "He thinks he's the only one to show willing." "We'll take care of that." "I wonder if we shouldn't find something that will force Giscard to stick his neck out, say out loud what he really thinks, what his views are." "What if we got Giscard to declare Chirac leader of the majority?" "The word "leader", won't work." ""Nurse", would be more appropriate." "His role would be to coordinate the majority?" ""Coordinator", "coordonator"?" "How do you say it?" ""Resuscitator"." "We need one, since there's an anesthesiologist." "We need to convince Giscard." "I'll do it myself." "Otherwise, it'll take too long." "Anything that comes from you, Mr. President, can only contribute to the well-being of your majority, and help ease tensions." "Which are running high, aren't they?" "Even if I can't see the holes that the Prime Minister talked about." "Your suggestion?" "Address the country, and say who is in charge of the majority." "My choice, if I have a choice, is consistent with current practices, and known by all." "It's the Prime Minister's responsibility." "Recent events have proved that some have forgotten those practices." "What should we say?" "I think I summarized the main points." "I'll consider it." "I entrust Jacques Chirac with the coordination and facilitation of the political parties' actions, while respecting the differences between them." "That's what I meant tonight, by sharing these goals." "How incredibly convincing!" "It's nonsense." "It won't change a thing." "Hôtel Matignon May 1976" "When did he plan on announcing it?" "Eternal thanks, my dear friend." "Assholes!" "They will call it UDF, Union for French Democracy." "Voters will be confused between UDF and UDR." "They'll present it as the big center-right party the French were supposedly waiting for, implying Giscard's true supporters." "See what the letter did?" "And your idea for me to play nurse with the majority?" "They're mocking us!" "We need to scare them." "A serious rumor from Matignon." "They decided to leave." "Who?" "Juillet?" "Garaud?" "Chirac." "The idea of UDF maddens them." "If they want to leave, why hold them back?" "Is it a bad time?" "No, not at all." "I was actually expecting your call." "I noticed that this was upsetting you." "I'll admit, it's a hard blow." "I didn't want a new Prime Minister before the legislatives." "This morning, you said:" ""Why hold him back?"" "I must do it." "Even if it's useless." "I'm sorry I didn't convince you, 2 years ago, to take Guichard." "I don't know if I was wrong." "But I was probably insensitive with Chirac." "You're the only one I can tell..." "I regret it." "They won't resign tomorrow morning." "It will take time." "I think that they will try other things before." "I'd be surprised if the early legislatives don't come to the surface." "This might surprise you, but..." "I think that Chirac and I could have been friends." "At another time, under different circumstances." "We could have done great things together." "It's not too late." "I'll think about it, come up with something." "I feel rather bitter." "What a shame!" "Good night, Valéry." "Yes." "Good night, Michel." "Thank you." "Mr. Prime Minister, you are expected." "I'm sorry I'm late." "We only have a few hours to finalize our strategy." "Either we leave, as we had planned, or we stay." "Poniatowski is for our departure, Giscard is more restrained." "He's not restraining his supporters." "The banana peels are accumulating." "He can't keep going on like this till the legislatives." "That's my point." "We'll demand early legislatives, with a comprehensive plan justified by the economic and social situation." "Giscard can't refuse it." "He'll be cornered." "I'm warning you, it's our last play." "I'm playing the loyalty card, but any sign of dishonesty, I'll be against them." "We can't leave the country in such deep uncertainty for 2 years." "My proposal has 4 points." "1:" "The government's resignation, at the end of the parliamentary session, in a few weeks." "2:" "Create a new, tighter government." "3:" "Clearly reaffirm the rule that the Prime Minister coordinates the government's actions, and the majority's." "4:" "The dissolution of the National Assembly, with new elections in 5 or 6 months." "A program that requires thought, isn't it?" "But, what makes you want a smaller government?" ""Tighter", as you said." "There are too many ministers and Secretaries of State." "It's noticeable due to their lack of solidarity and sometimes even loyalty." "Towards you?" "And towards you." "Many of them worry about your approval, rather than serving you." "Giscard is inviting us to Brégançon?" "Pentecost week-end, yes." "What for?" "I'm waiting for him to accept my proposal." "He must deem the setting's appropriate." "Brégançon Fort June 1976" "Have you settled in?" "The rooms are spacious." "A bit dark, but specious." " It's what's nice with these houses." " It's just perfect." "Our son Henri was able to join us." "It's not always easy to schedule a family week-end." "Ah!" "There you are." "Hello, Mr. President." "My wife." "Delighted to see you again." "You know the Prime Minister, his wife." "I hope you didn't run into traffic?" "No, thank God." "Usually there's a lot during Pentecost week-end." "We met a few years ago, at Courchevel." "I needed a ski instructor to go off slope, but you weren't available, if I remember well." "I made it work." "Some German clients had cancelled." "Yes, that's right." "I realized that ski instructors were worse than good doctors." "You need to make an appointment well in advance." "What's funny, is that our friends have a beach in Saint-Tropez, in the summer." "I said "summer", but it's open now actually." "Yes." "We open during Pentecost, that's right." "Yes, exactly." "It's a great system:" "work in the snow during winter, and in the sun, during summer." "A kind of natural law to keep in mind if we were to create the perfect society." " It would be ideal." " Yes." "Naturally." "I never want to do that again." "It was humiliating." " Could you talk to him?" " No." "The idea of giving me a free rein makes him sick." "I think I have nothing more to tell him." "These people want you to lose." "You're not in their world." "And your advisors think you're a puppet!" "This will have a bad ending." "Anne-Aymone thought the week-end was lovely." "Me too." "Very relaxing." "Yet, you seemed quite preoccupied." "To be honest, Mr. President," "I wasn't expecting small talk, as relaxing as it was." "I was hoping to have a real political conversation." "But mainly, I was hoping for decisions." "I was hoping for an authentic and friendly week-end." "I am sorry, Mr. Prime Minister." "We'll talk about your expectations when the time comes." "Have a safe trip back." "In the end, I think you managed well." "The next time, they'll make you eat with the maids, in the kitchen." "There won't be a next time, Charles." "I see you finally get it." "You can't always say:" ""I will draw my gun, scare them," ""and they will calm down."" "At some point, you need to shoot." "You say there won't be a next time." "But there will be one." "I don't know when, but there will be one." "And then, you'll shoot." "There will be victims, but that's how it is." "July 1976" "Mr. President of the Republic." " Gentlemen, hello." " Mr. President." "Hello." "Did you see what happened in Nice?" "Absolutely extraordinary." "I'm not an admirer, but what skill!" "Before closing this Council," "I wanted your opinion on a question that I think is important." "I'm talking about universal suffrage elections of the European Parliament." "I want your first reactions." "We'll have a debate later, of course." "Mr. Prime Minister." "If you'll allow, Mr. President," "I will refrain from commenting on a question that you deem important, and that I qualify as thorny." "I would like to meet with you, as soon as possible." "Certainly." "Let's meet after the Council." "This question was not on the agenda." "We never talked about it." "But it was open, informal." "I said that it was just to get opinions." "We will work together." "It goes without saying." "I can't accept such unusual procedures on a subject that divides the majority." "This isn't the subject that divides them the most." "If there are any disagreements, let's lay them on the table." " We'll find common grounds." " No." "Neither on this subject, nor on another." "It's too late." "It's impossible for me to unite the majority." "I run into scheming and refusals every day." "Please take a seat." "Mr. President, please accept my resignation." "Do you really want to resign?" "I'd like to leave." "I understand your frustration." "And your annoyance." "But I don't think that leaving the government is the right decision." "You were successful." "I'm in favor of a tighter government." "We'll have elections in 2 years." "Keep your position until then." "I asked you to have early elections." "I can't accept that, for the simple reason that we would lose." "We just lost the cantonal elections." "The left is strong." "Mitterrand is on top." "I honestly would like you to stay in your position." "If you insist upon your decision, we'll talk again." "Let's wait for September." " Good evening, sir." " Good evening." "Thank you." "Good evening, Jacques." "Good evening." "You look tired." "Give me half an hour." "I'll get Laurence." " Yes?" " Dinner is served." "Very well." "What are we waiting for?" "We can't send the resignation by mail, you know." "It's for Monday." "Giscard isn't expecting it." "He thinks he convinced Chirac." "Mr. Prime Minister." "Hello, Mr. President." "I'm happy to see you." "It's our last meeting before the summer." "Mr. President, I came to tender my resignation." "You asked me to think about it, but I made my decision." "We agreed to wait until September." "I'd rather leave now." "Very well." "I assume there's no point in trying to convince you to stay." "I therefore accept your resignation." "But not happily." "You know I'm going to Gabon in a few days, and you have an official visit planned in Japan." "So I ask you to tender your resignation the day before the Council of Ministers on August 25, in one month." "Fine." "I'll wait till the end of August." "Till then, I'm counting on you to keeping this to yourself." "Rest assured that I will not talk about it." "Thank you." "Goodbye, Mr. Prime Minister." "You can't imagine how upset I am about your decision." "I'd like to speak with the Minister of the Interior." "Yes, Michel." "Are you alone?" "I think it would be worthwhile meeting Alain Peyrefitte before I leave for Gabon." "Yes." "Of course, very discreetly." "See you later." "I couldn't refuse waiting one month." "It's the summer." "Nothing will happen." "We won't be able to work on our project before September." "We'll be able to." "You're invited to my house, in the Creuse." "We'll get started." "It'll be quick." "We already thought it out." "Charles even has a name." "The Rassemblement pour la République." "RPR." "I think it sounds great." "It does." "Tailor-made for Gaullists." "Speaking of Gaullists," "I heard that Giscard called Peyrefitte." "Peyrefitte?" "For Matignon?" "Interesting thought." "They'll flirt with Guichard, and others." "But on our side, no one will accept." "Are you sure?" "People are on photos they shouldn't be on." "They can do the dance of 7 veils as much as they want, they are lures." "Matignon will go to Raymond Barre." "We knew it, even before Giscard." "August 25, 1976" "Gentlemen, Mr. President of the Republic will be here in a few moments to preside over the last Council of Ministers." "While I wait to tender my government's resignation, which I wanted to inform you about," "I wanted to thank you for your collaboration." "You might be surprised that I'd leave the prestigious" "Prime Minister position, of my own accord, and willingly abandon the most exhilarating work that I have ever accomplished." "I owe you some explanations." "For 27 months, I faithfully served the President of the Republic." "On several occasions, I asked for the means I deemed necessary to fight the political and economic situation." "I did not receive these means." "The Prime Minister should not judge a Head of State's position or decision." "He conforms, or steps aside." "That's exactly what I'm doing." "Some of you made it harder for me, by weakening the government's solidity, through different initiatives." "So, I'd like to address my immense gratitude to those who have supported me," "forgetting, for once, the teachings of General de Gaulle, who said that those who had the honor of serving France don't need medals, or recognition." "Mr. President of the Republic, it's an honor to tender the government's resignation." "I accept your resignation." "I thank all of the members of government here for their efforts, but first the Prime Minister, for everything that he has done." "I'd like to share a few informal thoughts." "Why did I accept this resignation?" "First, because I announced on June 6, that we'd have new political action in place in September." "Then, because political parties' behavior lately has excessively interfered, on governmental action, and finally... when someone wants to leave... well, you should accept it, right?" "I couldn't go on." "I really needed to stop." "I loved my work." "I gave it my all, and I was honored to have your trust, but... there was your entourage, Mr. President." "Your advisors never liked me, and they engaged in incessant attacks against me." "Let's not bring that up." "After all, I might not be made for politics." "I will leave Paris, meet other people, more like myself." "The General said that he wanted a quiet life, to be a librarian in a small town." "I'm wondering if I should open an art gallery." "I always loved paintings." "Well." "You might never hear about me again." "We agree, Jacques." "You better stay tough." "They forced your departure, but the fact that you're leaving, gives France hope." "My declaration is clear." "It's the tone that will matter." "They need to understand that you'll be the only option." "I just tendered my government's resignation to the President of the Republic." "I had informed him of my intentions beforehand." "Indeed, I don't have what I deem is necessary to carry out my duties as Prime Minister." "And given these conditions, I decided to leave." "Thank you." "I didn't think he'd use that tone." "He's dangerous now." "They are recreating the Gaullist movement." "I know it." "And it'll take us down, it'll take you down." "No." "No..." "I don't think so." "No." "I don't think so." "The mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac, was in a car accident yesterday in Corrèze." "Jacques Chirac, who has fractured his leg, and vertebras, was taken to Cochin hospital, in Paris." "2 weeks later Cochin Hospital" "It's not the stupid name in the press:" "the Cochin address." "It's the earthquake that it's creating." "I'm fighting Giscard's ideas on Europe." "I signed this text." "You signed it, but it's not from you." ""Whenever France is debased," "" the foreign parties are at work with their reassuring voices."" "Jacques Chirac does not talk like that, and I doubt he thinks that way." "In terms of Europe, we need to hit hard, draw attention." " What Giscard is preparing..." " Jacques." "Your advisors took advantage of your accident, and are dragging you down into an abyss." "I'd rather be honest." "Mr. Juillet and Mrs. Garaud aren't worthy of serving you." "I already warned you." "But today, I will be more straightforward." "It's them, or me." "I hear you." "I will let them go." "2 years later" "Thank you." "It's a great pleasure to have the RPR's president, and Mayor of Paris." "The pleasure is mine." "Our friend Jean Lipkowski had a great idea." " How are you?" " Very well." "Come." "I hope he'll be here soon." "You know François Mitterrand is known for being late." "Go ahead." "When did Houphouët-Boigny decide to separate from communism?" "It's hard to give a date." "But one day, I felt as though I'd convinced him." "Sincerity between two men, it's a strange alchemy, you know." "I like Chardonne's thought, which says it all:" ""Ties between people are not at our disposition."" "Well." "Let's go to the living room, if you will." "François, if you'd like to stay, and chat with Jacques..." "Are you coming?" "Excuse me." "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." "François Mitterrand is elected President of the Republic." "51.7%." "Valéry Giscard d'Estaing: 48.3%." "Subtitles:" "Eclair Group"