Sarkozy Dumped From Legion of Honour: A Seconder to Pétain
Former President of France, Sarkozy, removed from the Legion of Honour following his conviction - Ex-President of France, Sarkozy, expelled from the Legion of Honor following criminal conviction
Get ready for some juicy French gossip! Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president, has just been given the boot from the prestigious Legion of Honour. He's only the second president to lose this esteemed title, following in the unenviable footsteps of Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain.
Yikes, talk about bad company!
So, what's the tea on Sarkozy? Well, since his departure from the Elysée Palace in 2012, he's been caught up in a swirl of legal quagmires, the most notorious one being a corruption scandal. This particular mess involves corruption, influence peddling, and even an attempt at bribing a magistrate for information on a case implicating him. That bombshell dropped way back in 2021, and it was all legitimized by a Paris court the following year, with an appeals court backing up the ruling in 2023[1][2].
Sarkozy was given a slightly lighter sentence here. Instead of time behind bars, he's now strutting around with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet for a year. Sounds like one heck of a party, right? But even France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, gave its seal of approval to this sentence[1][2].
As if that wasn't enough, Sarkozy has also lost his Legion of Honour and National Order of Merit awards[2][3]. Ouch!
But that's not all, folks! Sarkozy is still standing trial in another case regarding illegal campaign financing. He's accused of accepting millions from Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign. Prosecutors are gunning for a seven-year prison sentence for the guy[1][2][4], and the verdict? Wait for it... It's expected in September!
So, to wrap it up, Sarkozy has:
- Conviction: Guilty of corruption, influence peddling, and bribing a magistrate[1][2].
- Punishment: Sentenced to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for a year[1][2].
- Loss of Honors: Lost the Legion of Honour and National Order of Merit[2][3].
- Ongoing Case: On trial for alleged illegal campaign financing from Libya[2][1][4].
Now, that's some serious drama we haven't seen since the times of Marie Antoinette, n'est-ce pas?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_scandals_involving_Nicolas_Sarkozy[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nicolas-sarkozy-faces-corruption-trial-france-2021-01-19/[3] https://abc News.go.com/International/wireStory/france-court-upholds-sarkozy-crisis-conviction-79215256[4] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230324-nicolas-sarkozy-goes-on-trial-for-alleged-libyan-finance-scam
The European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission may be discussing the ongoing legal troubles of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, given the high-profile nature of his recent convictions and ongoing trials in French politics. General news outlets have reported on Sarkozy's corruption scandal, influence peddling, and bribing of a magistrate, which have resulted in his sentencing to electronic monitoring and the loss of his Legion of Honour and National Order of Merit.
Crime and justice authorities may also be monitoring Sarkozy's ongoing trial for alleged illegal campaign financing, where he stands accused of accepting millions from Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign. As the verdict in this case is set for September, there is likely to be continued public scrutiny and debate on the issue within the realm of Franco-Libyan relations and the diplomatic community.
