Investing.com — France’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest judicial body, upheld the conviction of former President Nicolas Sarkozy on corruption and influence peddling charges on Wednesday. Sarkozy had appealed his 2021 conviction, which included a three-year prison sentence, two of which would be suspended. Instead of serving time in prison, the former president will wear an electronic bracelet for the final year of his sentence.
Sarkozy, a prominent figure in French politics despite leaving office in 2012, had been found guilty by a lower court of attempting to bribe a judge and trading influence to obtain confidential information about an investigation into the funding from his 2007 election campaign. The court ruled that Sarkozy had conspired to secure a job in Monaco for a judge in exchange for inside information about an investigation into alleged illegal donations by Liliane Bettencourt, the heir to L’Oreal.
The judge, Gilbert Azibert, was also convicted of corruption and influence peddling. Sarkozy faces another trial next year on corruption and illegal financing charges linked to alleged Libyan funds for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. The former president denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
If found guilty in the Libya case, Sarkozy could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Sarkozy’s predecessor, Jacques Chirac, is the only other president in modern French history to have been convicted by a court. Chirac was found guilty of corruption in 2011, four years after leaving office.
This article was generated and translated with the support of artificial intelligence and reviewed by an editor. For further information, please see our T&Cs.
