PARIS — Charles Pasqua, a French Resistance fighter who went on to become France’s top security chief and a powerful player on the French right, has died in Paris. He was 88.
President Francois Hollande confirmed the death Tuesday, calling him a ‘‘Gaullist’’ whose ‘‘whole personality enlivened French political life.’’
Nicolas Sarkozy — a former president who became an ally of Mr. Pasqua after beating him in a mayoral race in 1983 — said in a tweet that ‘‘France has lost one of its greatest servants.’’
Mr. Pasqua faced corruption trials and scandals, and was known for hard-line antiterror and anti-immigration policies.
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He was inspired by post-World War II President Charles de Gaulle, a symbol of the Resistance, who came to stand for a strong economy, strong leadership, and national unity.
In 2009, he was found guilty of illegally funding his 1999 European Parliament campaign.