Sep 30, 2021 - World

Former French president convicted of illegal campaign financing

Jacob Knutson

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaking in Calais, France, in September 2021. — Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaking in Calais, France, this month. Photo: Francois Lo Presti/AFP via Getty Images

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted Thursday of violating campaign finance laws during his unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2012 and sentenced to a year of house arrest, according to AP.

Why it matters: It comes after Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison, two of which were suspended, in March for corruption and influence-peddling in another case that is currently pending appeal.

The big picture: In the illegal campaign finance case, prosecutors argued that Sarkozy intentionally surpassed the amount of money a candidate can spend during a campaign.

Prosecutors accused him of knowingly spending 22.5 million euros ($27.5 million) — almost double the legal amount — on his re-election bid, which he lost.
Sarkozy, France’s president from 2007 to 2012, denied wrongdoing throughout the trial and can appeal the conviction and sentence.

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Former French president convicted of illegal campaign financing

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