The former French president Jacques Chirac will use this week’s publication of his memoirs to salvage his reputation after being ordered to stand trial for corruption — for which he faces a possible 10-year jail sentence.

Once one of France’s most disliked presidents for constantly being dogged by sleaze allegations, Chirac, 76, has grown more popular since he retired two years ago. This summer, holidaymakers on the French Riviera kept asking him to pose for photographs.

Xavière Simeoni, the investigating magistrate, has ordered that Chirac, protected by presidential immunity until his term of office ended in 2007, should be tried for allegedly paying cronies for 21 non-existent jobs while he was the mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995. In her 125-page finding, Simeoni described Chirac as “at the same time the designer, author and beneficiary” of a system designed to boost his political standing.

Chirac’s 40-year political career has been dogged by scandal. Despite investigators discovering that he and his family had been spending £500 of taxpayers’ money a day on food and drink at Paris city hall, no legal action was taken.

Nine years ago Jean-Claude Mery, a secret backer of Chirac’s party, alleged he carried bags of cash to the mayor.

Chirac heard the decision while holidaying in Morocco and will return to Paris this week for Thursday’s launch of his book, Each Step Should be a Goal. He is due to give an intensive round of newspaper, radio and television interviews to mark its publication. Chirac’s daughter Claude apparently scrutinised the book and urged her father to be as “soft” as possible on his political foes.

An opinion poll published in Paris-Match magazine last month found him to be the most popular politician in France, with 76% support. In April 2006, after inner-city riots and massive labour unrest, his popularity was just 27%.

Chirac could avoid going on trial as the public prosecutor’s office has five days to appeal against Simeoni’s report.

Many centre-right politicians expressed their support for him, while Ségolène Royal, the Socialist former presidential candidate, was alone on the left in backing him, saying he “deserves to be left in peace”.

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