French Supreme Court confirms corruption conviction for Nicolas Sarkozy

Paris.- The French Supreme Court has upheld the corruption and influence-peddling conviction against former President Nicolas Sarkozy, making the sentence final. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, will be required to wear an electronic bracelet for one year, becoming the first former French president to serve a house arrest sentence.

While Jacques Chirac was also convicted, his sentence did not require him to serve time. Sarkozy’s lawyers have hinted at appealing to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, although this will not delay the enforcement of the sentence.

At 69, Sarkozy faces a significant legal setback, one of many since his defeat by François Hollande in the 2012 presidential election. Despite stepping back from frontline politics, Sarkozy remains influential within the French right and maintains regular contact with President Emmanuel Macron. He continues to be a prominent figure, with bestselling books and public appearances, despite his ongoing legal troubles stemming from the “Bismuth case”—a corruption and influence-peddling scandal involving a false phone line.

Source: EFE