Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy, marking the first time in modern French history that a former head of state has received a prison sentence
The Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of orchestrating a scheme to illegally finance his 2007 presidential campaign using funds from the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
While he was acquitted of charges related to passive corruption and illegal campaign financing, the court emphasized the “exceptional gravity” of the conspiracy.
In addition to the prison sentence, Sarkozy was fined €100,000, with the court ruling that he must serve the sentence even if he appeals.
Sarkozy, 70, has denied any wrongdoing, describing the ruling as a “scandal” and a “humiliation” for France. He plans to appeal the verdict. His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, has publicly expressed her support and criticized media coverage of the case.
This conviction adds to Sarkozy’s previous legal troubles, including a 2024 conviction for campaign overspending and a 2021 bribery conviction. Despite these challenges, he remains an influential figure in French conservative politics.
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