Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to prove his innocence in the case over alleged illegal Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign, declaring that he will not seek a pardon despite being sentenced to five years in prison.
In an interview published on Sunday with French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, Sarkozy said he would “fight to the end” to clear his name. “To be pardoned, you have to accept the ruling and therefore admit guilt. I will never admit a guilt I did not commit. I will fight to the end for my integrity. I will prevail,” he stated.
On Thursday, a Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy, ruling that his associates engaged with Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi to secure illegal campaign funds. The judgement makes Sarkozy the first former French head of state convicted of such a charge.
The case, which has been under investigation for more than a decade, centres on claims that Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign benefited from millions in illicit Libyan funds. Prosecutors linked the financing to efforts to restore Gaddafi’s standing in the international community.
French media reports said the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office will summon Sarkozy on 13 October to set a date for his imprisonment. Sources added that a special cell has been prepared for him at Santé Prison in central Paris, in the section reserved for vulnerable inmates.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Jean-Michel Darrois, confirmed that his client will not request a pardon from President Emmanuel Macron, arguing that the verdict lacks legal basis. He highlighted that Sarkozy was acquitted of two central charges: illegal campaign financing and corruption.
