Sarkozy Awaits Court Decision on His Legal Cases

• Sarkozy is waiting for the ruling of the Supreme Court regarding the financing of his campaign.
• He spent 20 days in prison related to the charges in financing with Libya.
• Sarkozy plans to publish a book about his experience in prison.

PARIS — Nicolas Sarkozy is looking to further emphasize the negative impact on his reputation, as the highest court in France is set to rule on his conviction regarding his illegal campaign financing in the 2012 elections.

The Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold or annul Sarkozy's conviction, which he received last year for unlawfully exceeding the legal limit of campaign expenses.

This decision will come two weeks after his release from prison while awaiting appeals in another case regarding campaign financing. Sarkozy, who is 70 years old, spent 20 days in the La Santé prison in Paris after the court found him guilty of receiving illegal financing from Libya during his 2007 election campaign. He denies any wrongdoing.

In 2021, a court in Paris and the appeals court in 2024 found Sarkozy guilty of illegal campaign financing in 2012. His charges involve spending nearly double the legally allowed amount of 22.5 million euros ($25.5 million) on the campaign, which he ran for François Hollande, a socialist.

If the Supreme Court confirms the ruling, his conviction will be recognized as final under French law, with no possibility of further appeal.

The court will review whether the correct legal norms and procedures were applied. If not, it can annul the ruling and appoint a new court.

In the case of upholding the ruling, the imposed penalty will be determined. The appeals court previously requested six months of house arrest, controlled by an electronic bracelet or other court-imposed requirements.

The case regarding Libya will be heard from March 16 to June 3. In the earlier court in Paris, he was found guilty of criminal conspiracy between 2005 and 2007, when he was Minister of Internal Affairs, for financing his presidential campaign with Libyan funds in exchange for diplomatic services. He was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.

Sarkozy was acquitted of three other charges, including passive corruption.

Sarkozy plans to publish a book on December 10 about his experience in prison under the title "Diary from Prison."

He described prison as a "nightmare." "I never imagined that at 70 years old I would end up in prison. This experience was not what I expected," Sarkozy said during the court hearing about his release.

French investigators previously brought charges against Sarkozy in 2023 for his alleged involvement in the case related to the financing of Libya. Businessman Ziad Takieddine confirmed that he handed over cash from Tripoli to France, but later withdrew his statement.

Prosecutors stated that Sarkozy is suspected of "illegal influence on witnesses." His friend, former supermodel Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, also received prior charges in July 2024 for her involvement in the case of the influence of Takieddine.

Sarkozy lost the medals of the Legion of Honor, the highest award in France, following his conviction in this case.

Tags: Europe/Politics/Crime