Jacques Chirac (1932–2019) was one of the most prominent French politicians of the late 20th century. He studied at Sciences Po and the École nationale d’administration (ENA), which prepared him for a career in the civil service and politics. He served in various government roles under different administrations and was known for his pragmatic, sometimes opportunistic, political style.

Chirac rose to prominence in the 1970s as a member of the Gaullist movement. In 1974 he became Prime Minister under President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, a position he held until 1976. Later he served as Mayor of Paris (1977–1995), then as Prime Minister again under François Mitterrand (1986–1988), and finally as President of France from 1995 to 2007. During his presidency he was known for opposing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, for advocating European integration, and for domestic policies that combined social welfare with economic modernization.

Chirac’s long political career made him a familiar public figure in France, and in the mid-1970s he even found his way into the world of Asterix.

Caius Saugrenus in Obelix & Co.

In the 1976 album Obelix & Co., René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo introduced the character Caius Saugrenus (known in English as Caius Preposterus). This young Roman economist is sent by Julius Caesar to undermine the Gauls not with force, but with the power of money and trade. Saugrenus convinces Obelix to produce menhirs on a massive scale and attempts to destabilize the village through capitalist overproduction and economic dependence.

The character is a direct caricature of Jacques Chirac. At the time, Chirac had just served as Prime Minister and was known as an ambitious politician with a background in economics and administration. His physical appearance, hair, and mannerisms were exaggerated in Uderzo’s drawings, making him instantly recognizable to contemporary French readers.

Comparing Chirac and Saugrenus

The comparison between Jacques Chirac and Caius Saugrenus works on several levels:

• Ambition: Both were portrayed as young, energetic men eager to rise in power.
• Economics: Saugrenus uses economic theory and business logic as weapons; Chirac, although not strictly an economist, was associated with modernization and administrative reform.
• Caricature: Goscinny and Uderzo often included contemporary celebrities in their albums, and Saugrenus was a satirical nod to a real politician in a humorous context.

The character in Obelix & Co. should be understood as a caricature and not a literal representation of Chirac’s political program.

What’s in a Name?

French name – Caius Saugrenus: The surname comes from the French word saugrenu, which means absurd, ridiculous, or nonsensical. By adding the Latin-style ending -us, Goscinny and Uderzo created a name that sounds Roman while carrying a humorous meaning for French readers.

English name – Caius Preposterus: The translators kept the same joke by choosing Preposterus, which directly echoes the meaning of saugrenu. Both versions highlight the character’s ridiculous economic schemes.

Spanish name – Caius Coyuntural: From coyuntural, meaning situational or dependent on circumstances, often used in economics and politics. This fits the character’s role as an economist bringing short-term opportunistic schemes to Gaul.

German name – Technokratus: A straightforward pun on Technokrat (technocrat), reflecting the character as a symbol of bureaucratic, technical, and economic reasoning.

Dutch name – Adolescentus: Based on adolescent, underlining the character’s youth and ambitious nature, while keeping the mock-Roman ending.

Saugrenus in Later Asterix Stories

Caius Saugrenus did not disappear after Obelix & Co.. He made a reappearance in the short story Chanticleerix (originally published in Pilote in 1966 and later revised for Asterix and the Class Act in 2003). In this story, Saugrenus once again appears as a Roman emissary trying to use clever schemes rather than brute force against the Gauls.

Conclusion

Jacques Chirac had a long and influential political career, culminating in his presidency from 1995 to 2007. Caius Saugrenus, his Asterix alter ego, remains one of the most memorable examples of Goscinny and Uderzo bringing contemporary figures into their stories. The economist who tried to conquer Gaul with capitalism was more than just a comic character: he was a humorous reflection of French politics in the 1970s.