French judicial investigations Chirac could face

A look at investigations in which former French president Jacques Chirac could be summoned for questioning. He was questioned for the first time Thursday in a case involving party financing. He has said he will not answer questions about events during his 1995-2007 presidential tenure, citing constitutional protections.

_ PARTY FINANCING: Dubbed the "fake jobs" affair, this is seen as the case most likely to threaten Chirac. Investigators say operatives from the party Chirac headed, the RPR, were illegally on the Paris city payroll while he was mayor, in a scheme to help finance the party.

_ FAKE ADVISER POSTS: In an offshoot of the above case, a Paris judge is investigating allegations that paid adviser posts were created at City Hall while Chirac was mayor, but no work was ever done.

_ CLEARSTREAM: This involves an alleged smear campaign that broke out during Chirac's presidency centering on damaging _ but false _ allegations that Nicolas Sarkozy, now president, had secret bank accounts. Investigators are probing accusations that Chirac and ex-Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, both rivals of Sarkozy, were involved in the campaign. Both deny wrongdoing.

_ JUDGE'S DEATH: This case concerns the 1995 death of Judge Bernard Borrel in Djibouti, a former French territory. French investigators at first supported Djibouti's assertions that it was suicide, but later French medical and legal studies concluded that he was murdered. Borrel's widow says he was assassinated on orders from Djibouti's president, and accuses French officialdom of pressuring investigators. Chirac's office barred judges in the case from searching his offices while he was still president.

_ EURALAIR: A more recent case, it centers on whether former first lady Bernadette Chirac _ and possibly Chirac himself _ received free flights on a now-defunct airline founded by a close friend.