Former President Nicolas Sarkozy convicted

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a high-profile case tied to illicit funds from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The Paris criminal court acquitted the 70-year-old of other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing, but ruled he must serve time in jail. Sarkozy has vowed to appeal, calling the judgment “extremely serious for the rule of law.”

Prosecutors alleged that Gaddafi’s regime bankrolled Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign in return for diplomatic favors aimed at softening Libya’s image in the West.

Judge Nathalie Gavarino said Sarkozy enabled close aides to pursue funds from Libyan officials, though the court found insufficient evidence directly linking him to illegal campaign financing.

The ruling stunned the courtroom, as Sarkozy—president from 2007 to 2012—was also fined €100,000.

His conviction marks an unprecedented moment in French politics, with a former head of state facing jail time for crimes committed while seeking the presidency.

Speaking defiantly outside the court, Sarkozy said: “If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high.” He maintains the case is politically motivated.

The investigation began in 2013 after Saif al-Islam Gaddafi accused Sarkozy of taking millions from his father. Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine later claimed to have proof that Sarkozy’s campaign was “abundantly” funded by Tripoli, with payments totaling €50 million.

Several of Sarkozy’s allies were also convicted. Former interior minister Claude Guéant was found guilty of corruption, while Brice Hortefeux was convicted of criminal conspiracy.

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His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, faces separate charges of hiding evidence, which she denies.

This is not Sarkozy’s first conviction. In 2021, he was found guilty of attempting to bribe a judge, and in 2024 he received a suspended sentence for campaign overspending.

His latest jail term marks a further fall from grace for one of France’s most influential post-war leaders.