Nicolas Sarkozy's Prison Date to Be Set Following Libyan Campaign Finance Conviction

Former President to Learn Imprisonment Details

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to appear before judicial authorities on Monday, October 13, 2025, to determine the precise date and location of his incarceration. This development follows his conviction on September 25, 2025, for criminal conspiracy related to the illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.

The Paris court sentenced Sarkozy, 70, to five years in prison, along with a €100,000 fine. The court's ruling stipulated that the sentence would be executed immediately, even if an appeal is filed, marking a historic first for a former French president to face actual time behind bars.

Details of the Libyan Campaign Financing Case

The conviction stems from allegations that Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign received illicit funds from the regime of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal association in a plot from 2005 to 2007, where he allowed close associates to solicit funds from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favors.

While he was cleared of charges such as passive corruption, illegal campaign financing (in this specific case), and concealing the embezzlement of public funds, the court emphasized the 'exceptional gravity of the facts' committed by a man who aspired to the highest office in the Republic. Sarkozy has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, describing the verdict as 'a scandal' and 'an injustice,' and has indicated his intention to appeal the decision.

Broader Legal Challenges

Sarkozy's legal troubles extend beyond this recent conviction. He has faced multiple judicial proceedings since leaving office in 2012:

• In February 2024, an appeals court confirmed his conviction in the 'Bygmalion affair' for illegal campaign financing during his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. The sentence was lightened to six months in prison, with an additional six months suspended, to be served under electronic monitoring. His final appeal in this case is pending before the Court of Cassation, with a decision expected on November 26, 2025.
• He was also convicted in the 'listening case' or 'Bismuth affair' for corruption and influence peddling, receiving a three-year sentence (two suspended, one in prison) in 2021, upheld on appeal in May 2023. This sentence was later commuted to one year of house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet, a decision confirmed by the Court of Cassation in December 2024.

Earlier in 2025, Sarkozy was stripped of his Legion of Honor medal due to a prior conviction. The upcoming Monday hearing will provide clarity on when the former head of state will begin serving his sentence for the 2007 campaign financing case.