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 the long-running investigation into alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. The ruling marks an unprecedented moment in French political history, making Sarkozy the first former head of state in the country to be handed a custodial sentence that must be served even if he appeals.
The court determined that between 2005 and 2007 Sarkozy knowingly allowed his associates to seek illicit funds from the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Although he was acquitted of several charges, including illegal campaign financing, corruption, and misuse of Libyan public funds, judges ruled that the conspiracy charge alone carried “exceptional gravity.” In addition to the prison term, Sarkozy received a €100,000 fine and a five-year ban from holding public office.
Two of his former ministers were also convicted. Claude Guéant, a close ally and former interior minister, was sentenced to six years in prison, though his incarceration has been postponed for health reasons. Brice Hortefeux, another longtime confidant, was given two years, which he may serve under electronic monitoring. Eric Woerth, Sarkozy’s former campaign treasurer, was acquitted.
Sarkozy, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, condemned the verdict as a “scandal” and a “national humiliation.” He told reporters that he would appeal immediately, vowing to fight what he described as a politically motivated case. “If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high,” he declared. His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, rallied to his defense, posting messages of solidarity and criticizing the investigative news outlet Mediapart, which played a major role in exposing alleged evidence of Libyan payments.
Judges justified their unusually firm decision to enforce prison time despite the appeal, citing the damage done to public trust in French institutions. Legal analysts described the ruling as a turning point in France’s anti-corruption efforts, showing that even former presidents are not immune from accountability. The verdict also raises complex questions about how the sentence will be carried out, given Sarkozy’s age, health, and the appeals process that may take years to conclude.
The case stems from allegations that Gaddafi’s regime secretly funneled tens of millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign in exchange for political favors. Testimony from Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash, was central to the case, though his credibility has been contested. Despite years of denials, investigators pieced together a picture of what prosecutors described as a vast network of illicit financial dealings involving Sarkozy’s closest aides.
For France, the verdict underscores both the strength of the judiciary and the fragility of public trust in political institutions. Sarkozy, who once dominated French politics and remained a symbolic figure on the right, now faces the prospect of spending his final years in prison unless a higher court overturns the decision. The case has already reignited debates about transparency, campaign financing, and the corrosive influence of foreign money in French politics.
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