French court rules on illegal financing of former President Sarkozy's election campaign: sentence may be reduced
Kyiv • UNN
The Paris Court of Appeal will decide whether to reduce the sentence of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy from 1 year in prison to a suspended sentence of 1 year for illegal overspending on his campaign during the 2012 presidential election.
On Wednesday, February 14, the Paris Court of Appeal is to issue its decision in the so-called "Bigmalion" case: the case of excessive spending on the 2012 election campaign, which involved the communications agency Bygmalion. In the first instance, Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to 1 year in prison. It is now known that the prosecution has proposed to reduce the sentence to one year of suspended imprisonment, UNN reports with reference to Le Progres and BBC.
Details
The Paris Court of Appeal is to issue a ruling this Wednesday in the case of excessive spending by Nicolas Sarkozy, who lost the 2012 presidential campaign.
The trial revolves around Sarkozy's failed re-election to the presidency in 2012. The court of first instance found it proven that Sarkozy's team exceeded the campaign spending limit by approximately EUR 20 million. In order to conceal the additional expenses, his UMP party, which was later renamed the Republicans, allegedly concealed the costs using a system of fictitious invoices.
This dual-compatibility system was publicly unveiled in 2014 by his deputy campaign director, Jérôme Lavrillet.
Although Sarkozy is not considered the inventor of the above system, it is said that he ignored important clues.
In 2021, 69-year-old Sarkozy was sentenced to one year in prison, making him the first French president since World War II to be sentenced to a real, not suspended, prison term.
Sarkozy appealed the sentence, which, according to the court, he should serve in the form of house arrest with an electronic bracelet, not in prison.
Recently, the prosecution proposed to reduce the sentence to one year of suspended imprisonment. It is also stated that Sarkozy remains free until all appeals are completed.
Recall
France and Ukraine are implementing joint projects in priority sectors of the Ukrainian economy, such as energyand transportation, to strengthen cooperation and support Ukraine's recovery.