Presidential term: Sarkozy's sentence intensifies the political crisis in France

The verdict of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will exacerbate distrust of political institutions and exacerbate the political crisis in the country, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe. On September 25, a Paris court sentenced the former head of state to five years in prison in the case of his campaign financing by former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The decision is to some extent a compromise: Sarkozy was found guilty of participating in a criminal community, but acquitted of corruption charges. The defense calls the trial a "political massacre," while the prosecution insists on the rule of law. Whether the ex-president will actually end up in a prison cell, and how this will affect the political situation in France — in the Izvestia article.

What did Sarkozy get five years for?

On September 25, the fate of the former French president and his associates was decided in a Paris court. Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, was sentenced to five years in prison with suspended arrest. He will be informed of the date of his detention within a month. The verdict put an end to a 14-year investigation and one of the most high-profile trials in the country's history.

Sarkozy was found guilty of participating in a criminal community. According to investigators, in 2005-2007, in preparation for the presidential elections, his team made an unspoken deal with the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. In exchange for financial support for the election campaign, Sarkozy was supposed to contribute to the lifting of international sanctions on Libya.

The key evidence of guilt was the testimony of former Libyan Finance Minister Ali Dabab, as well as numerous financial documents confirming the movement of funds through offshore companies. According to the charges, Sarkozy's team received up to €50 million from Libya through a network of intermediaries between 2005 and 2007. This violated French electoral law and undermined the principles of democratic elections, said Maria Frolova, a researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

"The case is particularly acute because France, under Sarkozy, became the main initiator of the military intervention in the Libyan civil war in 2011, which led to the overthrow and murder of Gaddafi,— says Maria Frolova. — Today's court decision creates an unprecedented situation for the French political system, as for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the current ex-president was convicted of crimes related to corruption schemes at the highest level of government.

At the same time, the court acquitted Sarkozy on the main charges of corruption, concealment of embezzlement of public funds and violation of electoral legislation.

11 other defendants were involved in the case. The French National Financial Prosecutor's Office has charged them with corruption, influence peddling, concealment and money laundering, and forgery of documents. They received sentences ranging from 18 months to 6 years.

The case is unique in France not only in the scale of the charges and the number of defendants, but also in their status. This is a motley picture of the political and business elite of the Sarkozy presidency. Among them, for example, are two ex-ministers. Former Interior Minister Claude Gueant has been sentenced to six years for brokering funds from Libyans through the networks of businessman Ziyad Takieddine. Former Minister of Immigration, Integration and National Identity Brice Ortef received two years in prison for organizing transfers of public funds through offshore accounts.

The trial lasted from January to September 2025. Nicolas Sarkozy's lawyers called him a "political trial" and insisted that the only evidence was the testimony of interested parties, mostly former Gaddafi associates who, after the fall of the regime, sought to whitewash themselves.

According to the investigation, cash of unknown origin was passed through the headquarters of Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential campaign. But the defense claims that the story of the "briefcases" is pure fiction, unsupported by any facts, and the whole case was fabricated to prevent the possible return of the ex-president to politics.

Sarkozy himself said after the meeting that the incident "extremely seriously undermines the rule of law" and "confidence in justice." He is going to appeal, calling the verdict a "glaring mistake."

"I'll take responsibility." I will comply with the decisions of the courts. And if they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will. But with my head held high. I am innocent," the ex-president said.

After the verdict, Sarkozy's supporters started talking about the crisis of the country's judicial system.

— The judicial system should be independent. And such decisions have a very negative impact on the institution of the presidency and, in my opinion, weaken the independence of France. When you attack the institution of the presidency in France, you are attacking France," said former French MEP Herve Juvin in a conversation with Izvestia.

Will the political crisis in France intensify

Sarkozy's sentence should also be considered in the context of the deep internal political crisis that France is experiencing. President Emmanuel Macron's ruling coalition is facing waves of protests and strikes caused by unpopular economic decisions. Four governments have already resigned in less than two years. Trade unions and the opposition are organizing actions against the "antisocial budget," which, in their opinion, will harm the interests of the majority of citizens. Against this background, the trial of Sarkozy does not look like an isolated event, but part of a general crisis of the legitimacy of power. And the verdict in the "Libyan case" is perceived as proof of the systemic problems of the entire political system, experts say.

— Corrupt ties with the Gaddafi regime not only undermine France's moral authority in the struggle for democratic values, but also raise serious questions about the role of Western countries in supporting authoritarian regimes for political gain. The disclosure of the facts that corruption schemes allowed the Libyan dictator to obtain French surveillance technology to persecute dissidents and activists was especially painful for the French reputation, Maria Frolova believes.

The historic verdict, which, however, will be followed by an appeal, is not the end point, but a new round of crisis that calls into question the stability of the French political system. Supporters of the ex-president perceive the trial as a politically motivated witch hunt, while critics see it as a long-awaited triumph of justice, a departure from double standards, when elites always get away with everything, Maria Frolova added.

These opposing interpretations, she said, deepen the social divide and may contribute to further polarization of French society, especially in the context of the upcoming elections — in particular, in 2027, the French will elect a new president.