Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been cleared of charges related to receiving illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. However, he has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in the same case. A Paris court acquitted him of all other accusations, including passive corruption. The court is now expected to provide its rationale and announce the sentence.
Sarkozy, who has consistently refuted the allegations, was accused of striking a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, during his tenure as France’s interior minister, to secure campaign funds in return for supporting Libya’s then-isolated government on the global stage.
The 70-year-old has been on trial since January.
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Sarkozy maintained that the case was politically motivated.
The court determined he was guilty of criminal conspiracy between 2005 and 2007. It noted that after becoming president, he was protected by presidential immunity. Despite ongoing legal challenges, including losing his Legion of Honour, France’s top honor, in June, Sarkozy continues to wield significant influence in French politics.
He recently met with his former protege, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and has shown support for the National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, stating that the far-right, anti-immigrant party is now part of the “republican arc.” Sarkozy has faced numerous legal issues since leaving office.
