A French court has ruled that former President Nicolas Sarkozy will not be required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, citing his advanced age.
Libya Funding Case and Appeals
In September 2025, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in a process to obtain funds from the regime of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Sarkozy reportedly allowed close associates to establish contact with people in Libya to secure funds for his 2007 election campaign.
The politician was acquitted of all other charges, including corruption and illegal campaign financing. Sarkozy denied all allegations and has appealed the verdict; the appellate process remains ongoing. Last October, he spent 20 days in a Parisian prison before being released pending appeal, making him the first former French president to be incarcerated.
The Bismuth Case
Sarkozy has faced other accusations since leaving office in 2012, including a 2024 sentence involving electronic monitoring in the “Bismuth” case, which concerned an attempt to influence a judge. This matter surfaced when police, investigating the Libya case, intercepted a secret telephone line used by Sarkozy under the pseudonym Paul Bismuth to speak with his lawyer.
The electronic monitoring bracelet was removed in May 2025 due to the politician’s age.
The Bygmalion Case
The second conviction for the 71-year-old former president concerned the “Bygmalion” case. The court upheld a six-month sentence, ruling that Sarkozy overspent on his unsuccessful 2012 re-election campaign and collaborated with the Bygmalion PR agency to cover it up.
Decision on Electronic Monitoring
Following the court’s decision, it was unclear whether the former president would be subject to electronic monitoring. According to AFP, citing sources familiar with the matter, the court decided that Sarkozy will avoid wearing an electronic bracelet due to his “advanced age.”
