Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Sentenced To Jail For Corruption

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s chances of returning
to office suffered a blow after he was found guilty by a Paris
court of corruption.

The 66-year-old was sentenced to a one-year prison term for
offering to pull strings to help a magistrate land a prestigious
job in return for a favor — although the French legal system means
he’s unlikely to serve jail time. His lawyer and the court official
were also convicted.

“Sarkozy used his status as former French president,” said
Presiding Judge Christine Mée on Monday as she read out the court’s
decision. She said the wrongdoing he committed was “particularly
serious.”

The conviction of Sarkozy — who still enjoys some popularity in
the nation — is another setback to a political career that
stuttered after his failed 2012 re-election bid. The judgment puts
the former president on the back-foot weeks before he’s due back in
court on separate charges that he illegally exceeded
campaign-spending limits ahead of his electoral defeat.

French Senator Valerie Boyer from Sarkozy’s Les Republicains
party told BFM TV the judgment means that “it will be difficult”
for him “to take part in the presidential campaign, as many French
hoped.” The five-year term of President Emmanuel Macron — who can
seek reelection — is due to end in 2022.

Sarkozy left the courtroom without making any comments shortly
after the ruling was read out.

While he isn’t the first former French president to go on trial
in modern times, Sarkozy is the first to get a non-suspended
sentence. The late Jacques Chirac was too sick to attend court
before he was found guilty in 2011 of misusing Paris city funds,
and convicted to a two-year suspended term.

Monday’s judgment centers on tapped phone calls of Sarkozy
dating back to 2014, after he’d left high office.

Sarkozy was heard telling his lawyer that he would put in a good
word to help the now-retired magistrate Gilbert Azibert clinch a
sought-after position in Monaco if he helped in a legal fight to
stop investigators using the former president’s diaries.

In court, Sarkozy had dismissed the conversations as “chatter”
that was misinterpreted by prosecutors.

Aside from the one-year jail term, the judges also gave Sarkozy
a two-year suspended sentence.

Sarkozy’s lawyer and the court official charged in the case
received the same sentences as the former president.

Defendants aren’t normally incarcerated if the non-suspended
portion of their sentence isn’t longer than two years. They
typically have to wear electronic bracelets and obey a curfew
instead. Additionally, appealing a first-instance sentence suspends
its execution.

In her judgment, Mée said on Monday that Sarkozy and his lawyer,
Thierry Herzog, “were aware of the unlawfulness of the actions” of
the magistrate Gilbert Azibert.”

Mée said “the fraternal bond” that Herzog “forged with Nicolas
Sarkozy obscured his professional judgement as a lawyer.”

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s chances of returning
to office suffered a blow after he was found guilty by a Paris
court of corruption.

The 66-year-old was sentenced to a one-year prison term for
offering to pull strings to help a magistrate land a prestigious
job in return for a favor — although the French legal system means
he’s unlikely to serve jail time. His lawyer and the court official
were also convicted.

“Sarkozy used his status as former French president,” said
Presiding Judge Christine Mée on Monday as she read out the court’s
decision. She said the wrongdoing he committed was “particularly
serious.”

The conviction of Sarkozy — who still enjoys some popularity in
the nation — is another setback to a political career that
stuttered after his failed 2012 re-election bid. The judgment puts
the former president on the back-foot weeks before he’s due back in
court on separate charges that he illegally exceeded
campaign-spending limits ahead of his electoral defeat.

French Senator Valerie Boyer from Sarkozy’s Les Republicains
party told BFM TV the judgment means that “it will be difficult”
for him “to take part in the presidential campaign, as many French
hoped.” The five-year term of President Emmanuel Macron — who can
seek reelection — is due to end in 2022.

Sarkozy left the courtroom without making any comments shortly
after the ruling was read out.

While he isn’t the first former French president to go on trial
in modern times, Sarkozy is the first to get a non-suspended
sentence. The late Jacques Chirac was too sick to attend court
before he was found guilty in 2011 of misusing Paris city funds,
and convicted to a two-year suspended term.

Monday’s judgment centers on tapped phone calls of Sarkozy
dating back to 2014, after he’d left high office.

Sarkozy was heard telling his lawyer that he would put in a good
word to help the now-retired magistrate Gilbert Azibert clinch a
sought-after position in Monaco if he helped in a legal fight to
stop investigators using the former president’s diaries.

In court, Sarkozy had dismissed the conversations as “chatter”
that was misinterpreted by prosecutors.

Aside from the one-year jail term, the judges also gave Sarkozy
a two-year suspended sentence.

Sarkozy’s lawyer and the court official charged in the case
received the same sentences as the former president.

Defendants aren’t normally incarcerated if the non-suspended
portion of their sentence isn’t longer than two years. They
typically have to wear electronic bracelets and obey a curfew
instead. Additionally, appealing a first-instance sentence suspends
its execution.

In her judgment, Mée said on Monday that Sarkozy and his lawyer,
Thierry Herzog, “were aware of the unlawfulness of the actions” of
the magistrate Gilbert Azibert.”

Mée said “the fraternal bond” that Herzog “forged with Nicolas
Sarkozy obscured his professional judgement as a lawyer.”