Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves after the verdict in his trial with other defendants on charges of corruption and illegal financing of an election campaign related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, at the courthouse in Paris, France, September 25, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a five-year prison sentence on Thursday (September 25, 2025) after he was found guilty by a Paris court of criminally conspiring with Libya over illegal campaign financing.
Mr. Sarkozy, who has always denied the charges, was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi to obtain campaign financing in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage.
The judge, who acquitted Mr. Sarkozy of other charges, including corruption, said there was no proof that Mr. Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that money that was sent from Libya reached Mr. Sarkozy’s campaign coffers.
Mr. Sarkozy’s sentence means he will go to prison regardless of whether or not he launches an appeal. The judge also ordered Mr. Sarkozy to pay a 100,000-euro fine.
Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he was innocent and that he would appeal a court’s decision to sentence him to five years in prison. “If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high,” Mr. Sarkozy told reporters after the ruling.
Published – September 25, 2025 05:36 pm IST
