The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for corruption of a judge and influence peddling, one of which without parole, with the benefit of an electronic bracelet. The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal by Sarkozy’s lawyers against the final sentence on appeal. That of Sarkozy, 69 years old, is an unprecedented sentence for a former French head of state.
The corruption case in which Sarkozy was convicted
The former tenant of the Elysée was found guilty of having entered into a “corruption pact” in 2014 with Gilbert Azibert, a senior judge of the Court of Cassation, together with his historic lawyer Thierry Herzog. According to the judges, both passed on information to him to try to influence an appeal brought by Nicolas Sarkozy in another case known as the “Bettencourt case”. The judge had agreed in exchange for a promised “push” for an honorary position in Munich. The three defendants have always denied wrongdoing, recalling that the influence peddling did not occur because the magistrate never obtained the desired protection. The three men received the same sentence, with the lawyer banned from wearing the black robe for three years. Their appeals were also rejected, making the sentences final.
Sarkozy wants to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights
This is the first definitive conviction of the former President (2007-2012). His lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, told AFP that Sarkozy “will obviously respect” the sentence, but said he would turn to the European Court of Human Rights. Regarding the decision, the lawyer spoke of a “sad day” in which “a former president is forced to appeal to European judges to have a state presided over by him condemned”. Referral to the European Court does not prevent the application of the sanctions imposed. In this case, Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted at first instance on March 1, 2021, then on appeal on May 17, 2023.
Sarkozy can avoid the electronic bracelet
The sentence had previously been suspended, but now becomes enforceable. In about a month Sarkozy should see the penalty of one year of limitation of his freedom applied with the provision of an electronic bracelet, to which must be added three years of ineligibility. The former French president will be called to appear before a judge, who will have to establish the terms and conditions of the electronic bracelet. However, given that the former president will turn 70 in a month, he will be able to ask not to serve the year of the electronic bracelet. The decision comes less than three weeks before the start of the trial on suspicions of Libyan financing of the 2007 presidential campaign, in which Nicolas Sarkozy will have to appear for four months starting from January 6.
