Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Begin Serving Prison Sentence Next Week

Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France, is expected to begin serving his five-year prison sentence next week after being found guilty of a criminal association with an organized scheme to illegally finance his 2007 presidential election campaign. The Correctional Tribunal of Paris made the ruling last month, making Sarkozy the first former head of a European Union country to go to jail. He will be held in a special wing for vulnerable prisoners at the Paris La Sant prison, which provides a single-person cell, three visits a week, and one hour of exercise a day.

Key Takeaways:

• Sarkozy, a 70-year-old former French president between 2007 and 2012, was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in a scheme to illegally finance his 2007 presidential election campaign.
• He will be the first former head of a European Union country to serve a prison sentence, and will be held in a special wing for vulnerable prisoners at the Paris La Sant prison.
• Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing and is petitioning the appeals court for his release, but will remain in prison until the decision is made.
• The case dates back to 2012, when a leaked document revealed that the Libyan government secretly supported Sarkozy's 2007 financial campaign with 50 million euros.
• Sarkozy sued Mediapart for forgery and use of forgery, but an expert evaluation later concluded that the document was likely legitimate.

Statistics:

• Sarkozy was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• The Correctional Tribunal of Paris made the ruling last month.
• Sarkozy will be held in the Paris La Sant prison's special wing for vulnerable prisoners.
• The special wing provides a single-person cell, three visits a week, and one hour of exercise a day.
• The Libyan government allegedly provided 50 million euros for Sarkozy's 2007 presidential election campaign.
• A new trial is expected in about six months.

Sources:

• "Nicolas Sarkozy to serve prison sentence in Paris next week" by , 2025 Legal Monitor Worldwide
• Mediapart (2012), "Libyan government document reveals funding for Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign"