Former French President Sarkozy receives suspended sentence in illegal campaign finance case

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s guilty verdict for illegal campaign financing in his 2012 reelection bid is upheld by a Paris appeals court, with a one-year prison sentence

A Paris appeals court upheld the guilty verdict against former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday for illegal campaign financing during his unsuccessful 2012 reelection bid, affirming the ruling of a lower court.

He received a one-year prison sentence, with the possibility of half of it being suspended, which can be served using alternative methods such as wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet instead of incarceration.

Originally convicted in 2021, Sarkozy’s sentence was suspended pending his appeal. Despite ongoing legal troubles related to campaign finance issues, Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, maintains influence within conservative circles and maintains a cordial relationship with President Emmanuel Macron.

The accusations against him involve allegations that his party, then known as the UMP, collaborated with a public relations firm called Bygmalion to conceal the true expenses of his campaign, which was characterized by extravagant events unprecedented in French politics.

Source: Newsroom

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