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Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy over millions of euros in illicit funds allegedly received from late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
The Paris criminal court acquitted the 70-year-old of other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. Despite plans to appeal, the ruling means Sarkozy will still serve time behind bars.
Speaking after Thursday’s verdict, Sarkozy — who led France from 2007 to 2012 — described the decision as “extremely serious for the rule of law”. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and insists the case is politically motivated.
Prosecutors accused Sarkozy of accepting Gaddafi’s money to finance his 2007 presidential campaign, allegedly in return for helping the Libyan leader rehabilitate his image in the West.
Judge Nathalie Gavarino said Sarkozy permitted close aides to approach Libyan officials for financial support. However, the court ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove he personally benefited from illegal campaign funding.
The former president was also fined €100,000 (£87,000).
Gasps were heard in the courtroom as the sentence was announced — a historic moment marking the first time a French ex-head of state faces imprisonment.
“If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high,” Sarkozy said outside court.
The investigation began in 2013, two years after Saif al-Islam Gaddafi accused Sarkozy of taking millions from Libya.
Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine later claimed to have documentary evidence of payments totalling €50 million (£43 million) — funds he said continued to flow even after Sarkozy took office.
Also convicted in the case were former interior ministers Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, found guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy, respectively.
Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, faces separate charges of concealing evidence and conspiring to commit fraud, which she denies.
This is Sarkozy’s third conviction since leaving office. He is already appealing a one-year sentence for overspending during his 2012 re-election campaign and previously received a custodial sentence in 2021 for attempting to bribe a judge.
The latest ruling marks a dramatic fall from grace for one of France’s most influential post-war leaders — and a powerful message from the judiciary about political accountability.
