On Wednesday, December 18, the Cour de Cassation, France’s highest court of appeals, upheld the sentence to which former president Nicolas Sarkozy had been condemned – a three-year jail term, two of which would be suspended and one that would take the form of home detention with an electronic tag allowing his movements to be monitored – in the “Paul Bismuth” corruption case. He was found guilty of having tried to obtain secret information about another case concerning him from a magistrate at the Cour de Cassation. This decision comes as part of a long litany of judicial cases implicating the former French president, who served from 2007-2012.
This comes in addition to the legal proceedings concerning the Bygmalion communications agency, which have brought to light a system of false invoices used to conceal massive overspending on election campaign expenses – a sum far greater than the legally authorized amount authorized – during the 2012 presidential campaign. This case has led to Sarkozy being sentenced on appeal to a one-year jail term, and it is currently the subject of a final appeal to the Cour de Cassation. Finally, five other cases concern the former president, either as a principal offender or a secondary party.
You have 82.99% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
Nicolas Sarkozy implicated or cited in five legal cases
Experts highlight rising social media addiction among young people in Europe
Research reveals a rise in digital addictions, notably among adolescents, with 11% exhibiting problematic social media use, up from 7% in 2018. Experts highlight issues
Iceland rejects EU accession talks in referendum amidst political tensions.
EFFECTS ON EUROPE
Overnight developments highlight Europe’s urgent response to energy shortages and economic challenges.
Focus remains on policy measures across the European Union.