After twenty days of imprisonment, Sarkozy’s stay in prison ends. Pending the appeal process in March 2026, the former President will remain on probation, with a ban on meeting Justice Minister Darmanin
«There is no risk of tampering with evidence, pressure or collusion. Pre-trial detention in prison is not justified.” With these reasons the Paris Court of Appeal has the request for release was accepted presented by the lawyers of Nicolas Sarkozy.
Release from prison and new restrictions
After 20 days of imprisonment in La Santé prison, the former French President was released at the end of the hearing which ended in the early afternoon of Monday 10 November. The court, however, ordered Sarkozy to “judicial supervision” (equivalent to Italian probation), with a ban on leaving France.
In addition to this, the former president was banned from contacting the Minister of Justice Gérald Darmaninwho had visited him in prison last October 29, arousing strong controversy from French magistrates. The court justified this decision by noting the “capacity to activate various state services” that Sarkozy maintains as former President.
During the hearing via video link from prison, with his wife Carla Bruni and son Jean in the front row, Sarkozy reiterated: «I never had the crazy idea of asking Mr. Gaddafi for any financing. I will never recognize something I didn’t do. I couldn’t have imagined reaching the age of 70 to experience prison.” An experience, that of imprisonment, which the former President defined as “hard, very hard”.
The trial and sentencing
Nicolas Sarkozy is facing trial for corruption, criminal association and illicit financing of the 2007 presidential campaign, linked to alleged funds, estimated at around 50 million euros, received from the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafithe same Gaddafi that Sarkozy desperately wanted to overthrow following the Arab Spring of 2011.
Last September 25th the court of first instance he condemned Sarkozy for criminal conspiracybelieving that he had knowingly authorized his collaborators Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeuxboth former ministers, to negotiate with the Libyan authorities to obtain illegal financing. Although he had not directly participated in the negotiations, the court found that he could not ignore the activities of his trusted men.
However, the distinction is important: Sarkozy was acquitted of charges of passive corruption and illegal campaign financingsince the prosecutor’s office was unable to prove with certainty the actual transfer of the Libyan funds. The conviction is therefore based on the active solicitation of funding in exchange for political support, but not on the actual payment of the sums.
The appeal process in March 2026
“It’s a step forward,” the lawyer said Christophe Ingrain. “The next step will be the appeal process scheduled for March and our task now is to prepare for the hearing.”
With the appeal request, Sarkozy automatically returned to the status of “presumed innocent”. The Court of Appeal will have to re-examine the facts in their completeness and evaluate the validity of the accusation from scratch.
The evaluation of Sarkozy’s actual malice will be crucial: his awareness and willingness to participate in the criminal plan must be proven “beyond any reasonable doubt”a higher evidentiary standard.
The technical reasons for the distinction between the charges for which he was acquitted and the one for which he was convicted will also be re-examined. The “trial” the former President referred to is not over yet.
