Former French President sentenced to five years over Libyan campaign funding scandal

PARIS : The judgment makes Sarkozy, now 70, the first former French leader in modern history to face actual imprisonment.

The court ordered Sarkozy to begin serving his sentence within one month, regardless of an appeal, a decision that sent shockwaves through France’s political establishment. In addition to prison time, Sarkozy was fined €100,000 and barred from holding public office for five years.

While acquitting him of more serious charges, such as passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and concealment of embezzled public funds, presiding Judge Nathalie Gavarino found Sarkozy guilty of enabling his associates to engage Libyan officials to seek financial support for his 2007 campaign. The conspiracy, prosecutors argued, operated between 2005 and 2007 when Sarkozy was interior minister, in exchange for diplomatic favors to Libya.

Two of Sarkozy’s closest allies were also convicted: Claude Guéant, his former chief of staff, was handed six years in prison and a €250,000 fine, while former minister Brice Hortefeux received two years. Campaign treasurer Eric Woerth was acquitted.

Speaking defiantly after the verdict, Sarkozy denounced the ruling as a “scandalous injustice” and a grave blow to the rule of law.

The case dates back to 2011, when Gaddafi himself alleged Libya secretly funneled millions into Sarkozy’s campaign. French investigative outlet Mediapart later published a purported Libyan intelligence memo referencing a €50 million funding deal, documents Sarkozy dismissed as forgeries. Testimonies by Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who once claimed he personally delivered suitcases of cash from Libya to French officials, further fueled the scandal before he later retracted his statements.