Sarkozy's Case Set for Trial in March 2026: Former French President Faces Long-Awaited Proceedings

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will get his day in appeals court between March 16 and June 6, 2025. The Paris Court of Appeal announced it will hear his challenge to a criminal conviction for accepting illegal campaign funding from Libya's Muammar Gaddafi in 2007.

In September 2024, a lower court sentenced Sarkozy to five years in prison for deliberately allowing his associates to seek illicit financing from the late Libyan leader for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. He served 20 days behind bars before his release on Monday under judicial supervision.

The case centers on whether Sarkozy knowingly orchestrated efforts to secure Libyan money for his campaign. French law strictly limits foreign contributions to political campaigns, making any Libyan funding illegal regardless of the amount.

This conviction represents a significant moment for French politics. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, becomes one of the few former French leaders to face serious criminal penalties. The case has dragged on for years, with investigators following a complex paper trail of alleged payments and meetings between Sarkozy's team and Gaddafi's regime.

After his release, Sarkozy took to social media platform X to maintain his innocence. "The law has been applied. I will now prepare for the appeal trial. My focus is on one goal only: proving my innocence. Truth will prevail. It's a clear lesson that life teaches," he wrote.

The appeal process gives Sarkozy another chance to clear his name, but it also keeps him in legal limbo for months. French appeals courts can uphold, reduce, or overturn lower court decisions entirely. For Sarkozy, the stakes remain high - both for his personal freedom and his political legacy.