Nicolas Sarkozy, once one of the most influential leaders in Europe, now faces the ignominy of being the first French president in modern history sentenced to serve actual prison time. On September 25, a Paris court delivered a landmark ruling, sentencing the 70-year-old former head of state to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy in connection with illegal Libyan financing tied to his 2007 presidential campaign. While the court acquitted him on other counts, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing, the decision marks a watershed moment in French politics and the global fight against high-level corruption.

The case, often referred to as the “Libyan financing affair,” has shadowed Sarkozy for more than a decade. At its core are allegations that his successful 2007 presidential campaign was bankrolled with up to €50 million ($58.6 million) from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. According to investigators, the funds were allegedly provided in exchange for diplomatic support aimed at rehabilitating Gaddafi’s pariah status in the international community.

The accusations first surfaced in 2011, not long after Sarkozy spearheaded NATO’s military intervention in Libya that ultimately toppled Gaddafi. Critics suggested that Sarkozy had turned on a former benefactor, adding a layer of political intrigue to the scandal. The following years were dominated by leaks, memos, testimonies, and counterclaims. In 2013, investigative outlet Mediapart published a leaked Libyan intelligence memo that referenced a €50 million funding arrangement, a document Sarkozy immediately dismissed as a forgery. The Paris court partially supported this claim in its ruling, stating that the memo could have been fabricated. Nevertheless, the judges concluded there was enough evidence to convict him of conspiring to solicit Libyan money.

The Paris Criminal Court sentenced Sarkozy to five years in prison and imposed a €100,000 fine. Crucially, he........

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