French Court Upholds Sarkozy's Conviction, Orders Electronic Tagging

France’s highest appeals court has upheld a conviction against former President Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for one year. 

This marks the first instance of a former French head of state facing such a penalty.

Sarkozy was previously found guilty of attempting to secure favors from a judge and will comply with the court's ruling, according to his lawyer, Patrice Spinosi. However, Spinosi announced that Sarkozy plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) within weeks, although this action will not delay the enforcement of the ruling.

Describing the decision as a “sad day,” Spinosi expressed concern that a former president must seek redress from European judges regarding a state he once led.

In 2021, a lower court determined that Sarkozy and former lawyer Thierry Herzog had entered a “corruption pact” with Judge Gilbert Azibert to obtain confidential information related to a legal investigation. Sarkozy received a three-year sentence—two years suspended—with one year mandated for home detention under electronic monitoring. This ruling was upheld by an appeals court last year.

Throughout the proceedings, Sarkozy, 69, has maintained his innocence, with his lawyer stating that he will continue to fight the conviction.

Since leaving office in 2012, Sarkozy has faced multiple legal challenges, including charges related to campaign finance overspending and allegations of Libyan funding for his 2007 presidential campaign.

Despite his legal troubles, Sarkozy remains a significant figure in French politics and retains influence within the right-wing landscape. He is known to have a rapport with current President Emmanuel Macron, reportedly meeting with him occasionally to discuss political matters.

Recently, Sarkozy visited the Elysee Palace to persuade Macron against appointing centrist François Bayrou as prime minister—an individual he reportedly dislikes. Despite Sarkozy's lobbying, Macron ultimately appointed Bayrou to the role after several weeks of deliberation