Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with illegal Libyan financing for his 2007 presidential campaign.
The Paris court’s ruling marks the first time a former French head of state could face jail time over such charges. Sarkozy has vowed to appeal.
Sarkozy’s reaction
Calling the verdict a “scandal,” Sarkozy said it posed a grave threat to the rule of law. “Hate has no limit,” he declared. “If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high … I am innocent. This injustice is a scandal … I will appeal; I will fight until my last breath.”
His wife, singer Carla Bruni, took to Instagram with a more understated response, posting “Love is the answer” alongside the hashtag #Hatewillnotwin.
Political allies rally
Conservative allies rushed to his defence. Outgoing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau praised Sarkozy’s “energy and determination,” saying he had “always faithfully served his country.” He expressed confidence the former president would prove his innocence on appeal. Laurent Wauquiez, head of the Les Républicains parliamentary group, also reaffirmed his support, describing Sarkozy as a “statesman who has given so much to our country.”
Jean-Michel Darrois, one of Sarkozy’s lawyers, condemned the ruling as “a firm and heavy sentence” and claimed there was “a special justice for Nicolas Sarkozy.” Another defence lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, said the conviction was based on “fabrication” and “assumptions” rather than evidence.
Critics point to rule of law
Others welcomed the judgment as a sign of judicial independence. Vincent Brengarth, a lawyer representing the plaintiff NGO Sherpa, called the verdict historic: “This is the first time that a former president of the republic will find himself behind bars … it also confirms that we have an independent judiciary that knows how to show courage and authority.”
Clementine Autain, an Ecologist MP, wrote on X that Sarkozy stood “head held high, dirty hands. The rule of law did not fail.”
Far-left lawmaker Manuel Bompard insisted the charges were “extremely serious” and urged Sarkozy’s defenders to “accept the decision.”
Concerns over enforcement
However, politicians across the spectrum raised concerns about the decision to enforce the sentence immediately while legal appeals remain open. Senate president Gérard Larcher warned this practice could undermine the presumption of innocence, a sentiment echoed by far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who described provisional enforcement as “a great danger” to fundamental legal principles.
What comes next
Sarkozy, who has denied wrongdoing throughout, remains free pending appeal. His legal team has pledged to continue the fight, while French society remains sharply divided over the implications of the ruling, both for the justice system and for the legacy of a former president.
Armenia has been stripped of its voting rights in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) over unpaid membership fees, in an...
Investigators found a sticky note bearing the names and mobile phone numbers of four left-wing public figures while searching the home of the suspe...
The United States and China should have “no illusions” about their differences on artificial intell...
Delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first formal talks in nine months. They did so with no agreement on what a ceasefire would be tied to or who gets to keep the land currently under Russian control.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
At least 17 people have been reported killed in an explosion at a steel plant in western Türkiye, after a crane collapsed during maintenance work. The disaster has prompted a criminal investigation into what went wrong at the industrial facility.
Armenia could lose its voting rights within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on 11 November after failing to pay membership fees for more than two years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said Washington believes the Russian President is prepared to reach a peace agreement under the right conditions, as U.S., Russian and Ukrainian delegations began trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 10 November.
Investigators found a sticky note bearing the names and mobile phone numbers of four left-wing public figures while searching the home of the suspect in last month’s deadly shooting near Paris, France’s national anti-terrorism prosecution office (PNAT) said on Wednesday.
The United States and China should have “no illusions” about their differences on artificial intelligence, even as they work together to manage the technology’s risks, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
Pope Leo arrived in Peru on Wednesday for an emotional homecoming, the first Peruvian citizen to lead the Catholic Church, after wrapping up a visit to Argentina that drew a record six million people over three days.
Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attack would be met with strikes on distant American bases, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment