Sarkozy braces for high-stakes legal battles in 2025 even after conviction

RFI

23 December 2024 at 1:42 am·1-min read

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the courthouse after the verdict in his appeal trial in the so-called Bygmalion case, on 14 February, 2024.

The legal sagas of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy are far from over as he faces a litany of judicial battles in the coming year – a year in which he will be wearing an electronic tag, after his corruption conviction was upheld by France's highest court.

France's highest appeals court on Wednesday confirmed a verdict against Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year – a first for a former head of state.

In 2021, the former president was found guilty of having attempted – with his lawyer Thierry Herzog – to obtain information from a high-ranking magistrate on an appeal to the Supreme Court that he had lodged in the so-called Bettencourt affair, in exchange for a judicial position in Monaco.

In May 2023, Sarkozy was sentenced on appeal to three years' imprisonment, including one year to be served wearing an electronic tag, for corruption and influence peddling.

Ex-president Sarkozy to wear electronic tag as court upholds corruption conviction

And heading into the new year, Sarkozy's legal challenges are far from over, as he faces trial over the accusations around Libyan financing of his successful 2007 presidential campaign.

This alleged agreement promised Gaddafi diplomatic leverage in exchange for electoral support – "a fable" according to Sarkozy.

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