Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted by the Paris criminal court in a criminal conspiracy case involving illegal funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 presidential campaign.
However, on Thursday, the court acquitted Sarkozy on three other cases, including passive corruption, embezzlement of Libyan public funds, and illegal campaign financing. The court is still finalising its ruling and has not yet sentenced Sarkozy. He has the option to appeal the verdict, which would delay any sentencing until the appeal is resolved.
What agreement did prosecutors allege Sarkozy made with Gaddafi?
Prosecutors claimed that Sarkozy arranged an agreement with Gaddafi in 2005, while serving as France’s interior minister, to secure campaign funding in return for backing the previously isolated Libyan government internationally.
As reported, Prosecutors informed the court that Sarkozy and his aides arranged a “corruption pact” with Gaddafi and the Libyan regime in 2005, aimed at illegally financing Sarkozy’s winning presidential campaign bid two years later.
The court learned that, in exchange for the money, the Libyan regime sought diplomatic, legal, and business favours, and it was believed that Sarkozy would restore Gaddafi’s international reputation. Prosecutors accused members of Sarkozy’s entourage of meeting Gaddafi’s regime in Libya in 2005, during Sarkozy’s time as interior minister.
The Libyan leader, who ruled for 41 years and was known for human rights abuses, faced international isolation due to his regime’s links to terrorism, such as the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland in December 1988.
How did Sarkozy welcome Gaddafi during his 2007 presidency?
Shortly after taking office as French president in 2007, Sarkozy invited the Libyan leader for an extended state visit to Paris, where he set up his Bedouin tent in the gardens near the Élysée Palace. Sarkozy was the first Western leader to host Gaddafi on an official state visit since relations were frozen in the 1980s due to Gaddafi’s designation as a sponsor of state terrorism.
What other corruption cases has Sarkozy previously been convicted of?
The former French president, who served from 2007 to 2012, has already been convicted in two different cases and has had France’s top award, the Legion of Honour, revoked.
In the first case, Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling related to illegal efforts to obtain favours from a judge. He received a one-year jail sentence and served it this year, wearing an electronic tag for three months before he’s eligible for conditional release.
In a second case, he was found guilty of concealing
Comments
20 responses to “Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy Convicted by French Court in Libyan Funding Scandal”
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C’est magnifique, isn’t it? A little Libyan cash here, a tent there, and voilà – Sarkozy still manages to dodge the full brunt of justice. 😏💸
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Seems like Sarkozy’s got a knack for turning politics into a game of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”—except the only audience he’s impressing is the courtroom. 🤷♂️ #C’estLaVie
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Looks like Sarkozy’s dance with Gaddafi has landed him a spot in the courtroom instead of the Élysée—who knew that foreign policy could be so… *expensive*? 😂💸
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Just what we needed—another plot twist in the Sarkozy soap opera. Maybe he should start a “how-to” guide on keeping the political career alive while dodging legal trouble, eh? 😂
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Seems like Sarkozy’s career is just one big game of ‘how to win friends and influence… well, dictators.’ Who knew illegal funding could make you the life of the party? 😂
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Looks like Sarkozy’s turning legal troubles into a new career path—who knew crime paid better than politics? 🤔 At this rate, he might as well start a masterclass on “How to Fund a Campaign with Style!”
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Seems like Sarkozy’s political career was just a masterclass in how to turn a scandal into an art form—one part corruption, two parts charisma! 🎨💰 Bet he’s wishing for a Gaddafi-themed revival tour right about now! 😏
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Looks like Sarkozy’s just collecting convictions like some people collect stamps—what’s next, a scrapbook? 🤷♂️ #LibyaAndChill
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Well, looks like Sarkozy’s got a knack for turning political favours into courtroom dramas—who knew campaign funding could be so… theatrical? 🎭 Just when you think the pièce de résistance of his career was hosting Gaddafi’s Bedouin tent, he pulls off this little stunt instead! 🧐
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Seems like Sarkozy’s found a new way to fund a campaign—who needs honest voters when you’ve got Gaddafi’s cash? 😂 Typical French politics, always a bit of saucisson and scandal!
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Isn’t it just delightful when your former president gets convicted for taking cash from a dictator? I suppose that’s one way to keep your campaign budget in the black—by making it a little *green* with Libyan oil money! 😂💰
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Nothing like a bit of Libyan funding to spice up a presidential campaign, eh? I guess when life gives you Gaddafi, you just throw a tent party at the Élysée and hope for the best! 😂🤑
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Just when you thought French politics couldn’t get any more theatrical, Sarkozy decides to turn his life into a soap opera with a side of international intrigue—who needs Netflix, eh? 🎭💰
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Looks like Sarkozy’s career has taken a turn—who knew being a president came with a side of scandal and a Libyan bonus? 😂 Just when you thought he was done, he pops back up like a bad penny!
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Seems like Sarkozy’s campaign strategy was a bit more “Gaddafi chic” than previously thought—who knew securing votes could come with a side of international scandal? 😂
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Just when you thought French politics couldn’t get any more theatrical, Sarkozy pops up with a Libyan funding plot straight out of a bad spy novel. 🎭 Who knew the Élysée Palace was actually a stage for such high-stakes drama?
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Funny how the man who once played puppet master in politics now finds himself tangled in his own strings. 🤷♂️ Looks like Gaddafi’s funding gave him a taste of what real ‘French connections’ can lead to! 🍷💼
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Fancy that, Sarkozy’s still in the limelight, just when you thought he’d vanished like a good bottle of Bordeaux after dinner! 🍷 Guess it takes more than a little scandal to keep a former president down, eh?
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Can’t say I’m surprised—who knew that running a country came with a side of ‘buy one, get one free’ corruption? 🤷♂️ Just another Tuesday in Paris! 🍷
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Looks like Sarkozy’s campaign strategy was a bit more “Libyan chic” than “French elegance.” 🤷♂️ Who needs integrity when you’ve got a tent and some cash, right? 🇫🇷💸
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