Faced with President François Mitterrand Jacques Chirac embodied the opposition In 1986 the right won the legislative elections and he became Prime Minister After two years of tough cohabitation François Mitterrand was reelected in 1988 After a moment of despondency the Chirac machine started up again During the referendum on Maastricht he took a position for the yes against the vast majority of his party In March 1993 the opposition led by Chirac won a crushing victory Edouard Balladur became Prime Minister In 1995 Jacques Chirac was elected President of the Republic thirty years of political life found their fulfillment
