A Paris court sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy. He allegedly tried to fund his 2007 campaign with money from Libya. This marks the first time a modern French president will serve jail time.
The court said Sarkozy tried to secure campaign funds from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favors between 2005 and 2007. He was cleared of three other charges, including illegal campaign financing and passive corruption.
Sarkozy, 70, rejected the verdict. “I am innocent. This injustice is a scandal,” he said, standing beside his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. He insisted that the idea of illegal funding came from his staff, not him.
Two former ministers, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, were also found guilty of criminal association.
Investigators linked the alleged funding to Libya’s late leader Moammar Gadhafi. The court could not confirm that the money reached Sarkozy’s campaign. Still, French law allows schemes like this to be illegal even if no funds are delivered.
Despite his legal troubles, Sarkozy remains a key figure in French politics and society.
