Jacques Chirac wins in 1981, serves until 2007

Jacques Chirac ran for president in 1981, and lost, his refusal to fully endorse Valery Giscard d'Estaing largely leading to the latter's defeat to Francois Mitterand. He'd run again in 1995 and win, leaving office in 2007. What if we combined those two- Chirac wins in 1981 and leaves in 2007? :D
 
I don't see any plausible way to make it happen.
Let's remember that in 1981, Chirac was only 41, and had been Giscard's Prime minister in 1974-1976. When Chirac resigned in 1976, it was because he couldn't stand Giscard anymore. In the years between 1976 and 1981, he did everything he could to undermine Giscard's presidency. By 1981, both men hated each other – and they still do.
I see no reason for Giscard, the second-youngest French president ever, not to run in 1981. The opinion polls, up to the end of January, were unanimous in predictiong his re-election. Mitterrand, candidate for the third time, was seen as an eternal looser.
The only way for Chirac to have a slim chance to win in 1981 is for him to be the sole right-wing candidate, and I see no way for it to happen. Even if you "kill" Giscard before the election, it doesn't leave Chirac as the sole alternative. Giscard's PM, Raymond Barre, though unpopular, would be a likely candidate, and if not him, somebody else from Giscard UDF party. They would run a candidate for the same reason Chirac ran in OTL's 1981: to prevent the other side from winning, even if it meant Mitterrand's victory.
Even if you get rid of Giscard AND Mitterrand, it doesn't give Chirac a sure chance to win: he would still have to deal with at least another centre-right candidate, and Michel Rocard, an extremely popular Socialist, would replace Mitterrand and probably win the election.
Chirac, in 1981, did not yet have the moderate image he now has ; he was seen as too ambitious and too conservative by many Giscard supporters. Rocard, on the other hand, was seen as a reasonable Socialist. So if Chirac and Rocard were to run on the second ballot, Chirac would lose votes to Rocard from the centre-right; Rocard would lose votes from the Communists but not as much, and they would abstain, not vote for Chirac. Rocard would be elected, maybe even with a better margin than Mitterrand in OTL.
 
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