There’s little doubt that Jacques Chirac is going to face some rather awkward legal questions over his sticky-fingered past when he ceases to be president (that’s almost certainly why he is contemplating another run for the Elysee). So what’s to be done? The leftist Liberation has details of a clever scheme designed to keep the old crook out of jail. Basically, the idea is to amend the constitution so that all former presidents automatically become members of France’s Senate.

Senators are, naturellement, immune from prosecution.

Voila.

This superbly slimy proposal has been forward by an existing senator, described (magnificently) as “un chiraquien notoire”.

Chiraquien notoire!

The French do corruption well, but they are not bad at insults either.

Via the North Sea Diaries.