A Paris court has found former French President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case centred on allegations that he accepted illicit campaign financing from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, marks the first time a former French head of state has been convicted of such a crime. Sarkozy, who served as president between 2007 and 2012, was accused of securing millions in covert funding to boost his 2007 election campaign.
Prosecutors argued that Sarkozy forged a secret arrangement with Gaddafi, helping to restore Libya’s international status in exchange for funds. Evidence reviewed by the court included high-profile visits to Tripoli in 2005, offshore money transfers, and testimony alleging that Sarkozy’s administration protected Libyan officials. Judges also examined documents referring to payments “for Sarkozy” and the suspicious death of a Libyan oil minister linked to the case.
Although acquitted of passive corruption, embezzlement of Libyan public funds and illegal campaign financing, Sarkozy was convicted for participating in a criminal group that prepared corruption offences between 2005 and 2007. The court has yet to issue a sentence, and Sarkozy has the right to appeal.
The trial also drew attention to Gaddafi’s brother-in-law, Abdullah Al-Senussi, convicted in France for the 1989 bombing of a French airline that killed 170 people. Prosecutors suggested Sarkozy’s alleged deal included leniency for Senoussi, along with assistance to Gaddafi’s former chief of staff, Bechir Saleh.
Sarkozy has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, insisting there is “no proof” of Libyan funding. His conviction adds to his legal troubles, following previous cases linked to influence peddling and campaign overspending.
