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PARIS — An appeals court in Paris confirmed sentencing of former President Nicolas Sarkozy to six months in prison, with six months suspended, over his 2012 reelection campaign overspend.
The ruling upholds a lower court decision agreeing with prosecutors charging that Sarkozy’s team exceeded the spending limit by billing his right-wing Les Républicains party instead of the campaign. Sarkozy received a one-year prison sentence, while further party and campaign officials were also sentenced to prison and banned from running for office.
Throughout the proceedings, Sarkozy — who served as French president from 2007 to 2012 — maintained his innocence, insisting he was unaware of any false billing.
Given the short duration of the prison term, it could be replaced with an alternative such as electronic monitoring.
In a separate corruption case, Sarkozy was sentenced to three years detention, including two years suspended and one under house arrest. He has appealed to France’s highest court — an option still available for his sentence in the current campaign financing case.
In yet another case, Sarkozy has been referred to a criminal court regarding alleged illegal Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign; for this, he should face trial in 2025.
