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Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after a Paris court found him guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with alleged attempts to secure illegal campaign funding from Libya for his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, stunned many observers for its severity, as Sarkozy had been acquitted of other charges, including corruption and receiving illegal financing. The court clarified that while there was no direct evidence proving that Libyan funds reached Sarkozy’s campaign, he was guilty of allowing his close associates to pursue financing arrangements with the regime of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Sarkozy, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisted the case was politically motivated. The court noted that his involvement in the conspiracy spanned from 2005 to 2007, before his election as president, after which he was shielded by presidential immunity.
The 70-year-old remains an influential figure in French politics despite a string of legal troubles. He recently made headlines for his meetings with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his controversial remarks acknowledging Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) as part of France’s “republican arc.”
Several of Sarkozy’s former allies were also convicted. His longtime aide and former Interior Minister Claude Guéant was found guilty of corruption, while another former Interior Minister, Brice Hortefeux, was convicted of criminal conspiracy.
Sarkozy has faced multiple legal battles since leaving the Élysée Palace in 2012. Just last year, France’s highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, making him the first former head of state ordered to wear an electronic tag. He also lost his Legion of Honour, France’s highest distinction, earlier this year.
In addition, an appeals court confirmed his conviction for illegal financing during his failed 2012 re-election bid, a case still awaiting a final ruling from France’s highest court.
Sarkozy’s legal woes continue to cast a long shadow over his legacy, even as his influence in shaping the French right remains significant.
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