France's first lady says she's made sacrifices for marital success, praises hillary clinton.

Wednesday, October 1, 2003
(10-01) 11:54 PDT PARIS (AP) --

For France's first lady, the recipe to marital success has been a balance of personal sacrifice, not too much nagging and standing by her man.

In an interview with the Nouvel Observateur magazine, Jacques Chirac's wife, Bernadette, also praised Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying the political success of America's former first lady is an inspiration to women worldwide.

"Not everyone is Hillary Clinton," Mrs. Chirac said in the
magazine's upcoming edition, released Wednesday. "She's an intellectual machine, like I've rarely met. A pro."

Speaking at length about the role of a wife in politics, Mrs. Chirac said, "The most important quality of a politician's wife is her ability to adapt."

Jacques Chirac has been in politics for most of their 47-year marriage, rising through ministerial posts to an 18-year run as Paris mayor before becoming France's president in 1995.

"Right away, I realized that my husband had a vocation that, on the personal front would lead to, let's say, many sacrifices," the first lady said.

Working to further her husband's career "was the only way, I told myself, not to lose my husband," said Mrs. Chirac, who also holds a locally elected post, in Correze, the couple's home region in central France.

Another way to keep harmony at home is to not always tell a man he's made a mistake or you disagree with him, she said.

"Maybe there are some husbands who like that," Mrs. Chirac said, adding that she felt such behavior would "quickly become unbearable."






[Edited on 5-10-2003 by Nans DESMICHELS]

[Edited on 5-10-2003 by Nans DESMICHELS]