Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy receives a six-month sentence for unlawfully financing his electoral campaign

Nicolas Sarkozy, the former President of France, has been found guilty of unlawfully financing his 2012 re-election campaign. He has been sentenced to one year in prison, with six months of the sentence suspended, which means he may serve it by wearing an electronic tag instead of being incarcerated. The charges against Sarkozy involved overspending on his campaign and attempting to cover it up by hiring a PR firm. Despite the accusations, Sarkozy has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The case has become known as the Bygmalion affair, named after the PR firm involved. The Paris court of appeal recently upheld the lower court's guilty verdict, resulting in Sarkozy's sentence. However, his lawyer plans to appeal the decision to France's highest court, putting the sentence on hold. If the sentence is ultimately confirmed, Sarkozy may be required to wear an electronic bracelet, perform community service, or pay a fine instead of going to jail. Prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy's UMP party exceeded the campaign spending limit and tried to hide the costs by invoicing the party instead of the campaign. Although there is no definitive evidence that Sarkozy organized or was directly involved in the scheme, prosecutors argued that he must have been aware of it. Other individuals implicated in the Bygmalion case, including Sarkozy's deputy campaign manager, also received suspended sentences. Sarkozy previously served a single five-year term as president, characterized by his firm stance on immigration and attempts to reform France's economy amidst the global financial crisis. Since his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2012, Sarkozy has faced multiple criminal investigations. In 2023, he received a suspended prison sentence for attempting to bribe a judge in 2014. While he appealed the ruling, he became the first former French president to receive a custodial sentence. Sarkozy is set to stand trial next year for alleged illegal funding received during his 2007 presidential campaign from the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.