France
Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to prison for campaign financing – ex-president is appealing
France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy on the way to the verdict in his appeal in the so-called Bygmalion case
© Bertrand Guay / AFP / DPA
France’s former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of illegal campaign financing for the second time. The sentence is less, but the former head of state is taking action against it again.
Despite investing 43 million euros in the election campaign, the then incumbent lost the election to his socialist challenger François Hollande. The incident became known as the Bygmalion affair, after the name of the event agency that organized Sarkozy’s campaign events.
The former French president appealed the verdict, but failed. The court found it proven that the former head of state had accepted improper campaign funds for his failed re-election in 2012. The judges on Wednesday thus confirmed the previous decision of the lower court. Sarkozy’s lawyer announced that he would appeal the verdict before the Court of Cassation. It is the highest court in the republic.
“Nicolas Sarkozy is completely innocent of what he is accused of in this case,” said lawyer Vincent Desry in Paris on Wednesday. “He continues his fight.” The execution of the sentence is now suspended for the time being.
Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to cover up overspending
The proceedings revolve around Sarkozy’s ultimately failed re-election as president in 2012. According to the court, Sarkozy’s team exceeded the capped campaign costs by at least around 20 million euros. In order to cover up the overspending, expenses are said to have been disguised by his party UMP – now renamed Les Républicains – using a system of fictitious invoices. Sarkozy is not said to have invented the system, but he ignored important information about it. Desry called Wednesday’s verdict very questionable. Sarkozy had not committed any funds and he did not know that the cost limit had been exceeded. In the trial, the defense had argued for the acquittal of the conservative, who was head of state from 2007 to 2012.
According to the court, the former president does not have to serve the sentence in prison. The exact form of the prison sentence should be decided later. With its verdict, the court went beyond the prosecution’s demand for a one-year suspended sentence.