Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday (September 25) after a Paris court found him guilty of criminal association in a case linked to alleged illegal
financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by Libya. In a major surprise, the court ruled that Sarkozy would serve his sentence even if he appeals, though the exact date of incarceration will be determined later.
The court concluded that Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, allowed close associates to negotiate with Libyan authorities between 2005 and 2007 to secure campaign funds in exchange for diplomatic favours. While the judges could not confirm that Libyan money was actually used in his campaign, French law considers participation in such corrupt schemes a crime even if no funds change hands.
Two of Sarkozy’s former ministers, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, were also found guilty of criminal association but acquitted of other charges. Sarkozy himself was cleared of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and concealment of embezzlement of public funds.
Sarkozy, 70, attended the court with his wife, singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and his three adult sons. The courtroom was packed with reporters and members of the public. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year prison term. With this verdict, Sarkozy becomes the first former French president to be convicted of accepting illegal foreign funds to win office.
Background: The Libya allegations
The case stems from claims in 2011 that Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi had secretly funnelled millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign. In 2012, investigative outlet ediapart published a document suggesting a €50-million funding agreement. Sarkozy called it a forgery and sued for defamation; the court later said the document “appears most likely” to be forged.
Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, a co-defendant who claimed to have delivered cash from Tripoli, later retracted his statement. Takieddine died earlier this week in Beirut at the age of 75, having fled France in 2020.
Sarkozy has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations politically motivated and a “plot” orchestrated by “liars and crooks,” including the Gaddafi family. He argued that the charges were retaliatory after he called for Gaddafi’s removal during the 2011 Arab Spring.
Sarkozy’s legal record
Sarkozy’s convictions extend beyond this case. He was previously found guilty of corruption and influence peddling in 2014 and of illegal campaign financing in 2012. He was stripped of the Legion of Honour in June and has faced electronic monitoring and partial prison sentences in other cases. Despite these scandals, he remains influential in French right-wing politics and maintains public prominence through his marriage to Bruni-Sarkozy.
What’s next
Sarkozy can appeal the verdict, though under French law the prison sentence will still stand, pending the appeal. The court will decide the date of his incarceration at a later stage. With this conviction, Sarkozy faces a historic legal precedent as the first former French president to be found guilty of receiving illicit foreign campaign funds.
