Sarkozy appears in court charged with corruption and abuse of influence

Nicknamed the “brilliant” president for what many in France considered his elegance and grandiose taste, Nicolas Sarkozy now faces the harsh reality of a soulless courtroom.

Sarkozy appears in court charged with corruption and abuse of influence, for allegedly attempting to bribe a judge in exchange for information on an investigation into his party’s funding.

He will be the first former president of modern France to appear on the dock.

Sarkozy led France from 2007 to 2012.

However, there is some procedural ambiguity surrounding this judgment. Court sessions have been disrupted due to the coronavirus crisis and a key figure in the case, former Senior Judge Gilbert Azibert, who is 74 years old and will not appear in court.

The news site France Info says the case will be postponed, as Azibert must undergo a medical examination. The trial is scheduled to continue until December 10.

Another former French president, Jacques Chirac, was sentenced to two years in conditional prison in 2011 for diverting public funds and abusing public trust. These crimes date back to the time when he took office as mayor of Paris.

However, he did not appear in court due to health problems and has denied wrongdoing.

What is the background to the case?

French judges have spent years investigating corruption allegations dating back to Sarkozy’s election campaigns and his tenure.

The case is linked to a long-running investigation into the right-wing politician’s use of secret donations to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.

The prosecution alleges that Sarkozy and his lawyer at the time, Thierry Herzog, tried to bribe Gilbert Azibert, with a high-profile job in Monaco, in exchange for information on this investigation.

Known as the “wiretapping case” in France, because the phone calls between Sarkozy and Herzog were intercepted in 2013-2014, Sarkozy used the pseudonym “Paul Bismuth” and spoke of Judge Azibert.

The French media reported that Sarkozy was heard telling Mr. Herzog: “I will promote him and help him.”

Sarkozy denies wrongdoing and notes that Judge Azibert has not held any position in Monaco.

Referring to his battle to clear his name, Sarkozy said in 2014, “Gilbert Azibert received nothing and I did not make any proposals on his behalf.”

In October 2013, judges removed him from their investigation on allegations that he accepted illegal payments from Lillian Bettencourt, heir to the cosmetics group L’Oréal, for her 2007 presidential campaign.

Crisis and other trials to which Sarkozy is exposed

Sarkozy and many of his aides are suspected of receiving millions of euros in Libyan cash to finance their 2007 presidential campaign. At the time, the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was still in power.

In 2018, Sarkozy was accused of corruption, illegal financing of his election campaign and use of embezzled public funds.

Last month, the judges also charged him with “belonging to a criminal conspiracy.” These charges could lead to a trial.

Sarkozy has rejected all the charges against him.

In January this year, judges also placed Sarkozy’s former aide, Thierry Gobert, under official investigation.

Sarkozy wrote on Facebook: “My innocence has been crushed once again, with a decision that does not provide any evidence of illicit financing.”

In another case, he is scheduled to appear on trial from March 17 to April 15, 2021, in the so-called “Pygmalion” case, in which he was accused of defrauding expenses in his 2012 presidential campaign. Sarkozy’s attempt to reelect him 2012 failed.