Sarkozy five-year term for criminal association in Libya funding case

A Paris criminal court on Thursday sentenced former French president Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison after finding him guilty of criminal association in a scheme to seek campaign funding from Libya for his 2007 presidential bid. The court ordered that Sarkozy begin serving the sentence even if he appeals, though judges said the date for incarceration will be set later.

Judges concluded that between 2005 and 2007 Sarkozy allowed close aides to approach Libyan authorities to obtain or attempt to obtain financial support for his campaign in exchange for diplomatic favors. The court acquitted him on three other counts, including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of embezzlement of public funds, and said it could not establish with certainty that Libyan money ultimately financed the campaign. Under French law, the court noted, a corrupt scheme can constitute an offense even if payments cannot be proven.

Two former ministers who were among Sarkozy’s closest associates, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, were also convicted of criminal association but cleared of several other allegations. Prosecutors had sought a seven year prison term. The court’s...