Paris, 18 December 2024 – For the first time in the history of France a former President of the Republic is coming convicted definitively. TO Nicolas Sarkozy, head of the Elysée from 2007 to 2012, was given a sentence of 3 years in prison, one of which without parole, with the ‘benefit of the electronic bracelet’. There Court of Cassation in fact, it rejected the appeal of Sarkozy’s lawyers against the final sentence on appeal. The 69-year-old former president, husband of Carla Bruni, he was then found guilty of bribery of a magistrate and influence peddling.
Sarkozy’s lawyers announced that their client “logically complies” with the final sentence. At the same time they announced an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
The knot of 70 years
In a month’s time, Sarkozy should see the one-year penalty of limiting his freedom by wearing an electronic bracelet applied. In reality, the former president will have his birthday in just a month 70 annyou will be able to ask not to serve the year of electronic bracelet.
The stages of the story
In the affair commonly known by the name of “Bismuth”, used by the former president for confidential contacts, Sarkozy was found guilty of having entered into, in 2014, together with his long-time lawyer, Thierry Herzog, a “corruption pact” with Gilbert Azibert, senior magistrate at the Court of Cassation, so that he could communicate information to him and try to influence the magistrates on a Sarkozy’s appeal in another matter, that of the Bettencourt case.
This was in exchange for “a helping hand” promised to the judge for an honorary position in the principality of Monaco. The three defendants have always denied wrongdoing, recalling that the influence peddling did not occur because the magistrate never obtained the desired protection.
