French Supreme Court convicts Sarkozy once and for all
France’s Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the case of illegal financing of his 2012 election campaign, making the conviction final for the second time in his judicial record.
Under the Court of Cassation’s decision, Sarkozy is serving a one-year prison sentence, half of which is suspended, after exceeding the legal limit on electoral spending during his presidential campaign that ended in his loss.
French law allows this punishment to be carried out at home using an electronic bracelet, or through alternative arrangements issued by the competent judge.
The court confirmed that the former president was obliged to wear an electronic bracelet for six months, in implementation of last year’s ruling, amid accusations by prosecutors that Sarkozy’s party colluded with public relations firm Pygmalion to hide the real expenses of his campaign.
The documents indicate that the costs of the campaign amounted to around €43 million, almost double the legal limit of €22.5 million.
Sarkozy has denied any connection to the accusations, calling the case “lies” aimed at discrediting him.
The development comes as Sarkozy faces a series of other cases, most notably the case of alleged Libyan funding of his 2007 campaign, for which he was imprisoned last month in an unprecedented move by a former president in France.
He was later released on parole pending his appeal trial in March 2026, however, the controversy intensified after President Emmanuel Macron received Sarkozy before he entered the prison, and then Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin visited him inside the prison, sparking a wave of criticism that later led the court to block any meeting between him and the minister or other government officials until his trial was over.
