The Paris court of appeals has upheld a prison sentence of three years, with one year to be served under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The sentence relates to his involvement in trying to illegally obtain information about a probe into his campaign finances in 2014. Sarkozy and his lawyer Thierry Herzog’s phones were bugged by investigators in 2013, leading to the discovery that they offered a prestigious position to senior magistrate Gilbert Azibert in exchange for information about an ongoing inquiry into claims that Sarkozy had illegally accepted payments from L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt for his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
This is the first instance where a former French president has been found guilty of corruption and imprisoned. Sarkozy, who served as president between 2012 and 2017, has been convicted twice in separate cases since leaving office, both of which he has appealed. He faces an appeal hearing in November in the so-called “Bygmalion case” and other investigations, including allegations of illegal campaign funding from Libya.
Sarkozy’s lawyer Jacqueline Laffont confirmed that Sarkozy will appeal at the French supreme court, the last legal step before his sentence is executed. Sarkozy denies all charges against him and claims that they are part of a judicial vendetta against him.
The Paris court of appeals upheld a three-year prison sentence, though two years were suspended and Sarkozy will wear an electronic bracelet for the remaining year instead of going to jail. If definitively convicted, Sarkozy could request to serve his sentence at home. His legal team is now promising to challenge the decision at France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation.
The only other French president convicted by a court was Sarkozy’s conservative predecessor, Jacques Chirac, in 2011. Sarkozy’s conviction has sparked debate in France about whether the country’s justice system is targeting politicians unfairly. However, many believe that prosecuting politicians is necessary to maintain public trust in political institutions.
In conclusion, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces an uncertain legal future as he is currently appealing multiple corruption convictions and investigations. His legal team has promised to challenge the decision at France’s highest court, but it remains to be seen whether they will be successful. Sarkozy’s case highlights the importance of ensuring that political figures are held accountable for their actions to maintain public trust in political institutions.
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