Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France, has been sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in a scheme to secure funding for his 2007 election campaign through support from the regime of Muammar el-Qaddafi, the former leader of Libya. A Paris court found that Sarkozy received €50 million from Qaddafi’s government to finance his election efforts.

The court ruled that Sarkozy was aware of the irregularities surrounding the funding and characterized the arrangement as a violation of campaign finance laws. Sarkozy, who has denied all wrongdoing, described the ruling as a “political assassination” and plans to appeal the decision.

This case has drawn significant attention due to allegations of corruption and the longstanding relationship between Sarkozy and the Qaddafi regime, raising questions about foreign influence in French elections. Along with his prison sentence, Sarkozy has been fined €1 million.

This verdict adds to the legal troubles faced by Sarkozy in recent years, as he has been embroiled in multiple legal issues, including a separate conviction for corruption in 2021, where he received a three-year prison sentence. As the appeal process begins, Sarkozy maintains his innocence and continues to challenge the court’s findings.



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