A Paris appeals court has upheld a previous ruling, finding former French President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of illegal campaign financing related to his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. The court affirmed the one-year prison sentence, with half of it suspended.
However, Sarkozy’s lawyer has announced plans to appeal the decision to France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation.
The initial one-year prison sentence in 2021 was suspended as Sarkozy launched his appeal.
The latest appeal means the sentence is once again put on hold. Sarkozy, aged 69, has consistently maintained his innocence, and his lawyer, Vincent Desry, reiterated their intention to challenge the ruling in the Cour de Cassation.
The Cour de Cassation focuses on the correct application of the law rather than the facts of the case.
The appeals process to this highest court can extend over several years. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, remains a prominent figure in conservative circles and maintains a friendship with current President Emmanuel Macron.
Despite facing multiple trials and investigations linked to campaign finance issues, Sarkozy continues to deny allegations related to the financing of his 2012 campaign. The charges involve accusations of collaboration between his party, then known as UMP, and a public relations firm called Bygmalion to conceal the true cost of the campaign.
