Sarkozy received by Macron at Élysée Palace before five-year prison term starts on Tuesday

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 20/10/2025 - 20:02 GMT+2 •Updated 21:59

Disgraced erstwhile French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been discreetly received by incumbent leader Emmanuel Macron astatine nan Élysée Palace successful Paris connected Friday up of nan commencement of his situation sentence.

A Paris tribunal recovered Sarkozy blameworthy of criminal conspiracy successful relationship pinch nan alleged Libyan financing of his victorious 2007 statesmanlike run successful September and setenced him to 5 years successful prison.

That situation word is owed to statesman connected Tuesday.

"It was normal that, connected a quality level, I should person 1 of my predecessors," Macron said, erstwhile asked astir nan visit.

Sarkozy, who served arsenic president from 2007 to 2012, has ever maintained his innocence and instantly appealed his conviction.

In an question and reply pinch nan Le Figaro regular published connected Sunday, Sarkozy said that he would participate nan situation "with his caput held high" and would return a curriculum vitae of Jesus and The Count of Monte Cristo pinch him.

"I will spell and spot him successful prison," Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin said successful an question and reply pinch nan power position France Inter connected Monday, admitting that he felt "a awesome woody of sadness" astatine nan thought of nan erstwhile president being incarcerated.

Those remarks were condemned by France's largest waste and acquisition national for magistrates, USM, who accused Darmanin of "mixing of genres."

Darmanin defended his comments saying that arsenic curate of justness he is allowed to "visit immoderate situation and immoderate detainee whenever he wished" and that it was "his work to guarantee nan due organisation of this bonzer detention."

On nan correct of nan governmental spectrum, erstwhile Prime Minister Édouard Balladur visited Sarkozy astatine his location connected Monday while Chairman of nan Senat Gérard Larcher said he was "sad" and praised Sarkozy's "courage."

Former President François Hollande praised nan independency of nan judiciary while pointing retired "what this imprisonment tin correspond for a man who served France."

Sarkozy's situation condemnation earlier his entreaty proceedings has fuelled contention successful France.

His condemnation is "provisionally enforceable" meaning it tin not beryllium suspended pending entreaty and that ensured Sarkozy was not beryllium capable to debar prison.

His lawyers will beryllium capable to petition his merchandise from nan first time of detention. The tribunal has a maximum of 2 months to scope a decision. If it is rejected, Sarkozy will person nan opportunity to make different request.

At nan property of 70, Sarkozy could beryllium incarcerated successful a typical conception of nan Parisian Santé situation intended for susceptible persons, owed to his property and nationalist fame.

In nan verdict, nan judges acquitted nan erstwhile leader of 3 different charges, including passive corruption, embezzlement of Libyan nationalist funds, and forbidden predetermination run financing, stating that location was nary grounds to show that nan money allegedly transferred from Libya had been utilized for his 2007 run aliases for his individual enrichment.