Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has received a five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy. The Paris Judicial Court delivered the verdict, which includes a €100,000 fine. Sarkozy, aged 70, plans to appeal the guilty ruling but is expected to serve the jail time regardless. As part of the sentence, he will be summoned within a month to learn the date of his incarceration, with the appeal not halting the sentence. The charges stem from illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign using funds from the Libyan government under Moammar Gadhafi.
The court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal association in a scheme spanning 2005 to 2007 to finance his campaign in exchange for diplomatic favors with Libyan funds. However, he was acquitted of other charges such as passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and concealing the misuse of public funds. The charge of criminal association carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, with prosecutors seeking seven years. Two of Sarkozy’s former close associates, Claude Gueant and Brice Hortefeux, were also found guilty of criminal association but cleared of certain charges.
The verdicts suggest the court believed the men colluded to secure Libyan funding for Sarkozy’s campaign but were unsure if the former president personally orchestrated the scheme. During the trial, Sarkozy maintained his innocence, denying any wrongdoing. The accusations emerged in 2011 when reports surfaced alleging that the Libyan government funneled millions of euros secretly into Sarkozy’s campaign. Despite the controversies, Sarkozy continued to refute the claims, dismissing them as politically motivated and based on fabricated evidence.
The trial also shed light on France’s diplomatic dealings with Libya in the 2000s, highlighting the country’s shift from being isolated to seeking closer ties with the West. Sarkozy’s legal troubles extend beyond this case, with previous convictions for corruption and influence peddling. Despite his denial of all charges, Sarkozy faces legal challenges on multiple fronts, including pending appeals and ongoing investigations related to his alleged involvement in various illicit activities.