Nicolas Sarkozy Seeks to Merge Sentences in French Court

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Seeks Sentence Merger

A Paris criminal court is set to examine a request from former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to merge two sentences stemming from his convictions in separate cases related to graft and illegal campaign financing. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, February 23, 2026.

Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has faced a series of legal challenges since leaving office, resulting in two definitive convictions. His lawyer, Vincent Desry, stated that 'A request to merge sentences is an extremely routine procedure in this situation.'

Details of the Convictions

The request specifically concerns two cases:

• The 'Bismuth' Case (Graft and Influence Peddling): In this case, Sarkozy was convicted of trying to extract favors from a judge. His sentence, which became final in December 2024 after all legal recourse was exhausted, included three years in prison, with two suspended, and one year under electronic monitoring. Sarkozy served several months of this sentence with an electronic ankle tag from February 7 to May 12, 2025, with the early removal attributed to his age at the time (70 years old).
• The 'Bygmalion' Case (Illegal Campaign Financing): This conviction relates to the illegal financing of his failed 2012 re-election bid. France's highest court upheld a sentence of one year in prison, with six months to be served firmly under electronic tag, in November 2025. The case involved campaign expenses that nearly doubled the legal limit, reaching at least €42.8 million against a cap of €22.5 million, through a system of fictitious invoicing.

During the closed hearing, the former head of state will ask that his six-month custodial sentence in the Bygmalion case be considered served by virtue of the electronic tag he wore in connection with the Bismuth case.

Legal Precedent and Future Proceedings

Under French law, a request to merge sentences is possible if certain criteria are met, including that the sentences in separate proceedings are of the same nature and all appeals have been exhausted. The court's decision on this request can be deliberated and subsequently appealed.

Sarkozy continues to face other legal challenges. He is scheduled to be in court again from March 16 for the appeal of another case concerning alleged Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign. In connection with this case, he served 20 days in jail late last year, becoming the first post-war French leader to serve time behind bars, before his release pending appeal.