PARIS — An appeals court in Paris confirmed sentencing of former President Nicolas Sarkozy to six months in prison, with six months suspended, over his 2012 reelection campaign overspend.
The ruling upholds a lower court decision agreeing with prosecutors charging that Sarkozy’s team exceeded the spending limit by billing his right-wing Les Républicains party instead of the campaign. Sarkozy received a one-year prison sentence, while further party and campaign officials were also sentenced to prison and banned from running for office.
Throughout the proceedings, Sarkozy — who served as French president from 2007 to 2012 — maintained his innocence, insisting he was unaware of any false billing.
