- Former President Sarkozy loses appeal in corruption case
- He must wear an ankle bracelet for a year
- Sarkozy plans to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights
France’s Former President Sarkozy Loses Appeal in Corruption Case
France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, has upheld a corruption conviction against former President Nicolas Sarkozy, rejecting his appeal. The ruling means that Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, must now wear an electronic monitoring bracelet for a year.
Sarkozy, 69, called the ruling a “profound injustice” and announced plans to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. His original sentence, handed down in 2021, included three years in jail, but two of those years were suspended, and the third was converted to electronic monitoring rather than prison time.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in 2014, after Sarkozy left office, in which he was found guilty of attempting to bribe a judge. He allegedly offered to secure a prestigious job for the judge in exchange for information about a separate case. The charges were related to influence-peddling and violating professional secrecy.
Despite the ruling, Sarkozy’s lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, confirmed that his client would comply with the terms of the conviction. Having exhausted all legal options in France, Sarkozy’s appeal to the European Court of Human Rights will not delay the enforcement of the sentence.