PARIS – The Cour de Cassation, France’s highest court, upheld on Dec. 18 the corruption and influence-peddling conviction of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, marking a significant legal defeat for the prominent conservative politician.
Sarkozy, who appealed the 2021 ruling, had been sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended. He is required to serve the remaining year under electronic monitoring instead of incarceration.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, announced plans to appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights, challenging what he called an unjust ruling.
“The challenge that I will be bringing to the European Court of Human Rights may, alas, lead to a condemnation against France,” Sarkozy stated on social media platform X. He reiterated his innocence, vowing to exhaust all legal avenues to clear his name.
The charges stemmed from Sarkozy’s attempt to bribe a judge, Gilbert Azibert, by offering him a prestigious job in Monaco in exchange for insider information about an investigation into Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign finances. The probe centered on allegations of illegal contributions from L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. Azibert was also convicted of corruption and influence-peddling in the case.
Sarkozy faces additional legal battles, including a trial in 2025 over accusations of illegal Libyan funding for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. Sarkozy has denied all wrongdoing in the Libya case.
Sarkozy is only the second French president in modern history to be convicted of corruption, following Jacques Chirac, who was found guilty in 2011 for crimes committed during his tenure as mayor of Paris. The ruling casts a shadow over Sarkozy’s legacy, highlighting the ongoing legal and ethical challenges faced by political leaders in France.