Sarkozy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday 25th September 2025, sentenced to 5 years in jail, for accepting million$ from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Sarkozy was born in Paris in 1955, the son of a Hungarian immigrant father and a mother of Greek-Jewish descent. From those immigrant roots, he rose swiftly through French politics. By the age of twenty-eight, he was Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, earning a reputation as a sharp, ambitious operator.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Sarkozy became a familiar face in government — first as Budget Minister, then as Interior Minister, where his hardline views on crime and immigration made him one of France’s most polarizing figures.
In 2007, he reached the pinnacle of power, elected President of the Republic. Brash, media-savvy, and sometimes flamboyant, Sarkozy promised reform and a new energy for France. But after a single term, he was defeated in 2012 by François Hollande.
Life after the presidency has been dominated not by politics, but by the courts. Sarkozy has faced multiple investigations — from campaign overspending to influence-peddling. In 2021, he was convicted twice, receiving sentences served under electronic monitoring.
Now, a far greater test lies ahead. He is accused of accepting millions from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 campaign. Sarkozy denies all charges, but with a major trial set for 2025, the legacy of France’s former president hangs in the balance.