Sarkozy conviction upheld in spending case

Описание: France’s highest court has upheld former president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conviction for illegal campaign financing, maintaining a one-year prison sentence that can be served under home confinement with an electronic bracelet. The Cour de Cassation confirmed that Sarkozy’s 2012 re-election campaign exceeded the legal spending limit by nearly double and used falsified invoices to conceal roughly €20 million in excess costs in what became known as the “Bygmalion” affair.

A lower court had found that Sarkozy was aware of the overspending and failed to act, making him legally responsible even without proof he approved each specific expense. Sarkozy has consistently denied any instruction to break the law or involvement in campaign bookkeeping. His lawyers said they are considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights on procedural grounds, but the ruling ends domestic appeals.

The decision adds to a series of legal setbacks for the 70-year-old former leader. Earlier this year he was jailed briefly following a conviction in a separate case alleging aides sought Libyan financing for his 2007 campaign; he was released pending appeal. Together, the two convictions represent an unprecedented situation in modern French politics, leaving a former head of state with multiple criminal judgments linked to campaign funding and alleged corruption.

The ruling is expected to curtail Sarkozy’s political influence and intensify scrutiny of France’s campaign finance rules. Critics, watchdogs and many in the public are calling for stronger transparency and tighter oversight of election spending and the role of external firms in organizing high-cost campaign events. Supporters argue the convictions rest on contested procedural points and maintain that Sarkozy did not orchestrate the fraud.

Beyond immediate political fallout, the case has prompted renewed examination of regulatory gaps that allowed large-scale overspending and the use of fake invoices to mask costs. Authorities and lawmakers may face pressure to propose reforms to prevent similar abuses in future elections and to clarify responsibilities for campaign leaders and their teams. The Cour de Cassation’s decision thus not only cements a major legal defeat for Sarkozy but also sharpens debate about safeguarding the integrity of electoral financing in France.