For the first time in the history of the French Republic, an ex-president will go behind bars: at the end of the Libyan trial, the Paris Correctional Court sentenced Nicolas Sarkozy to five years' imprisonment with a deferred committal order.
Guilty of "criminal conspiracy"
The sixth president of the French Fifth Republic was found guilty of "criminal conspiracy" for having allowed close associates under his authority to "solicit the authorities of Libya", at the time ruled by Muammar Gaddafi, in order to obtain their financial support during his victorious presidential campaign. to "solicit the authorities of Libya", at the time ruled by Muammar Gaddafi, in order to obtain their financial support for his victorious 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy maintains his innocence
"I am innocent, this injustice is a scandal", said Sarkozy as he left the courtroom. Sarkozy has announced that he will appeal his conviction. However, as his sentence is provisionally enforceable, his appeal will not prevent his incarceration in the coming weeks.
"undermine public confidence"
The charges brought against us are "exceptionally serious", "likely to undermine public confidence", insisted the presiding judge, Nathalie Gavarino.
Five years' ineligibility
The 70-year-old ex-president was also fined 100,000 euros and banned from standing for election for five years.
A threat to the rule of law, says Sarkozy
Sarkozy declared that this conviction was "extremely serious for the rule of law", in a similar vein to Marine Le Pen's own conviction, who herself has been convicted with a provisional execution that prevents her from standing, for the time being, in the 2027 presidential election.
Marine Le Pen reacts
"Beyond the person of former President Nicolas Sarkozy," reacted Le Pen on X, the "generalization of provisional execution by certain jurisdictions represents a great danger, with regard to the great principles of our law, the first of which is the presumption of innocence."