Sarkozy maintains his innocence as he declares he will ‘sleep in prison, but with head held high’
Sarkozy highlights that he was acquitted of three out of four charges against him, and only found guilty on charges of “criminal conspiracy” with his associates.
He stresses that his address is well known, and being a public figure, he cannot escape his responsibilities.
He criticises the court’s decision to send him to prison, but confirms he will “comply with the summons.”
“If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison, but with my head held high.”
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy talks to journalists, next to his wife Carla-Bruni Sarkozy and his lawyers, after the verdict in his trial with other defendants on charges of corruption and illegal financing of an election campaign related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, at the courthouse in Paris, France. Photograph: Stéphanie Lecocq/Reuters
He notes that as he will have to appear in court before imprisonment, his critics will get their moment.
But adds:
“Those who hate me so much think they can humiliate me. What they have humiliated today is France, the image of France.”
He calls the verdict “scandalous injustice,” says he remains convinced of his innocence and will appeal.
And that’s it. Wow.
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Updated at 14.18 CEST
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Le Pen raises concerns about immediate effect of imprisonment in Sarkozy’s case
In first reaction to the court’s ruling in Sarkozy’s case, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen sided with him in expressing concerns about the immediate execution of his imprisonment.
Le Pen, well familiar with court procedures given her own legal cases, said on X:
“[Looking] beyond the person of the former President Nicolas Sarkozy, the negation of the double degree of jurisdiction through the [broader use] of provisional enforcement by certain jurisdictions represents a great danger with regard to the great principles of our law, first and foremost among which is the presumption of innocence.”
In March, Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement of European parliament funds on a vast scale, a conviction for which she was also handed a four-year prison sentence, with two of those years suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet. She was also ordered to pay a €100,000 (£84,000) fine.
Crucially, the associated five-year ban on running for public office was also ordered to kick in with immediate effect, meaning it will apply even though Le Pen is appealing against the verdict.
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Russian embassy in Denmark dismisses ‘absurd’ suggestions of involvement in drone incidents
Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Denmark dismissed suggestions that Russia was behind the drone sightings near Danish airports and military bases.
In a statement on Telegram, it said:
“It is evident that the incidents involving reported disruptions at Danish airports are a staged provocation.
Undoubtedly, they will be used as a pretext for further escalating tension in the interests of forces seeking by all means to prolong the Ukrainian conflict and extend it to other countries.
The Russian side firmly rejects the absurd speculations of involvement in the incidents.”
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Danish PM, Nato secretary general speak about drone incursions
Meanwhile, we have an update on Denmark, with the country’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen saying she spoke with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte this afternoon to discuss recent drone incursions into Danish airspace.
“Just spoke with @SecGenNATO about the serious situation related to drones over Danish airports. We agreed that Nato would work with Denmark on what we can do together to ensure safety and security,” Frederiksen said in a social media post.
Rutte said the alliance takes the situation “very seriously,” stressing that “Nato allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure.”
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Sarkozy’s lawyer tells reporters appeal is being made ‘as we speak’
Sarkozy’s lawyer Christophe Ingrain strikes a similar tone in his comments to reporters, arguing that as Sarkozy never evaded the court and respected its summons, it feels excessive to send him to prison immediately, regardless of the appeal.
He repeats the same point about Sarkozy being acquitted of three out of four charges, and “yet he gets sentenced to a heavy prison sentence with imminent execution.” “That’s an incredible contradiction,” he says.
He says his client remains “combative” and confident of his innocence.
He says the appeal is being made “as we speak,” with the timeline for next steps to be decided by judicial processes.
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Sarkozy maintains his innocence as he declares he will ‘sleep in prison, but with head held high’
Sarkozy highlights that he was acquitted of three out of four charges against him, and only found guilty on charges of “criminal conspiracy” with his associates.
He stresses that his address is well known, and being a public figure, he cannot escape his responsibilities.
He criticises the court’s decision to send him to prison, but confirms he will “comply with the summons.”
“If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison, but with my head held high.”
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy talks to journalists, next to his wife Carla-Bruni Sarkozy and his lawyers, after the verdict in his trial with other defendants on charges of corruption and illegal financing of an election campaign related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, at the courthouse in Paris, France. Photograph: Stéphanie Lecocq/Reuters
He notes that as he will have to appear in court before imprisonment, his critics will get their moment.
But adds:
“Those who hate me so much think they can humiliate me. What they have humiliated today is France, the image of France.”
He calls the verdict “scandalous injustice,” says he remains convinced of his innocence and will appeal.
And that’s it. Wow.
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Updated at 14.18 CEST
Sarkozy says judgment has ‘extreme consequences’ for rule of law in France, undermines confidence in courts
Sarkozy is now speaking to reporters.
He calls it a decision with “extreme consequences for the rule of law and the trust we can have in the justice system.”
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Sarkozy jailed for five years – snap analysis
Jakub Krupa
It’s a truly historic moment. A former president of France will be going to prison – and it is reported in the French media that he will end up in custody even if he appeals.
Le Monde helpfully explains that, as part of the sentence, he will be “summoned within one month by the prosecutor’s office to be informed of his incarceration date,” but his appeal won’t suspend the sentence. That’s harsher than expected.
We will bring you more on this shortly.
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Sarkozy sentenced to five years in jail – French media
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been handed a sentence of five years in jail, French media are reporting.
Remember: he is expected to immediately appeal it (10:59).
We will bring you more shortly.
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Updated at 13.11 CEST
Nato representatives set to join EU talks on drone wall on Friday
Nato representatives “at the technical level” are also expected to join tomorrow’s meeting on the EU’s “drone wall” initiative, an EU spokesperson confirmed.
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Drone incursions to be discussed at informal EU summit next week
Recent drone incursions will be discussed “in some detail” by European Commission president and heads of states at the informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen next week, EU deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill has just said.
Defence spokesperson Thomas Regnier added that the issue will be also discussed during an initial meeting on the so-called “drone wall” on Friday, led by EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius with the seven frontline EU member states, joined by Denmark, Slovakia and Ukraine.
The works will focus on what “we will have to do to detect these incoming drones,” as “this is not super easy to do,” and then on how to “fight back” against them.
Danish airports affected by drone flights since MondayShare
Updated at 12.15 CEST
Norway seizes drone flying close to Oslo airport
Separately, Norwegian authorities have confirmed that they seized a drone that flew close to the restricted zone around Oslo airport last night, and are looking for its operator.
A criminal case has been opened, although the drone was reportedly intercepted before it posed any problems for air traffic at the airport, TV2 and VG reported.
The move comes after the airport had to close down on Tuesday for a few hours after a possible drone sighting.
ShareAngelique Chrisafis
in Paris
Separately, Claude Guéant, who was director of Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign before being made Sarkozy’s chief-of-staff and then interior minister, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy and corruption.
Brice Hortefeux, another Sarkozy ally, who also served as interior minister, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy but acquitted of illegal campaign funding. Both he and Guéant are likely to appeal against their convictions.
Éric Woerth, another former minister who was Sarkozy’s head of campaign financing in 2007 and has since moved to Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, was acquitted.
ShareAngelique Chrisafis
in Paris
Despite his convictions, Sarkozy continues to meet and be consulted by key figures on the right and centre. He recently met his former protege, the new prime minister Sébastien Lecornu, who has yet to form a new government after the last government collapsed in a no-confidence vote earlier this month.
ShareAngelique Chrisafis
in Paris
The court had heard that in return for the money, the Libyan regime requested diplomatic, legal and business favours and it was understood that Sarkozy would rehabilitate Gaddafi’s international image.
The autocratic Libyan leader, whose brutal 41-year rule was marked by human rights abuses, had been isolated internationally over his regime’s connection to terrorism, including the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland in December 1988.
Members of Sarkozy’s entourage were accused by prosecutors of meeting members of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya in 2005, when Sarkozy was interior minister. Soon after becoming French president in 2007, Sarkozy then invited the Libyan leader for a lengthy state visit to Paris, setting up his Bedouin tent in gardens near the Élysée Palace. Sarkozy was the first western leader to welcome Gaddafi on a full state visit since the freeze in relations in the 1980s over his pariah status as a sponsor of state terrorism.
But in 2011, Sarkozy put France at the forefront of Nato-led airstrikes against Gaddafi’s troops that helped rebel fighters topple his regime. Gaddafi was captured by rebels in October 2011 and killed.
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Sarkozy found guilty of criminal conspiracy in Libya trial, expected to appeal – first report
Angelique Chrisafis
The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a trial in which he and aides were accused of making an alleged corruption pact with the regime of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to receive funding for the 2007 French presidential election campaign.
But Sarkozy was acquitted of three other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.
Sarkozy, who had denied all wrongdoing in court, is expected to immediately appeal.
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Updated at 10.59 CEST
Angelique Chrisafis
It was the biggest corruption trial faced by Sarkozy, 70, who was France’s rightwing president from 2007 to 2012.
He has already been convicted in two separate cases: one for corruption and influence peddling over illegal attempts to secure favours from a judge, and another for hiding illegal overspending in the 2012 presidential election that he lost to the Socialist candidate, François Hollande.
He has appealed against both convictions.
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