The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid.
The verdict is expected to be rendered at a later date. Prosecutors have requested a six-month prison term, as well as a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of 3,750 euros ($4,468).
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The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid.
The trial comes after Sarkozy, 66, was found guilty on March 1 of corruption and influence peddling in another case. He has appealed that verdict.
“Sarkozy is the signatory and the only person responsible for his campaign financing. He is responsible for monitoring expenses, which he did not do,” prosecutor Vanessa Perree said.
Closer to election day, Sarkozy held almost one rally per day, including two major ones in Paris at a cost of several millions of euros.
He said he “never” gave any direct instructions to service providers in charge of the organization, because he had a team to do that.
Some have already admitted wrongdoing and detailed the system of false invoices that was meant to cover up the overspending.
Sarkozy, France's president from 2007 to 2012, denies wrongdoing. He is accused of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount of 22.5 million euros ($27.5 million) on the re-election bid that he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande.
FILE - In this Tuesday May 1, 2012 file picture, French President and conservative candidate for his re-election in the 2012 French presidential elections, Nicolas Sarkozy reacts to supporters as he arrives on stage at Trocadero square to deliver a speech during a campaign rally in front the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. (AP PhotoPhilippe Wojazer, Pool, File)
The trial comes after Sarkozy, 66, was found guilty on March 1 of corruption and influence peddling in another case. He has appealed that verdict.
In their conclusions last week, prosecutors said Sarkozy knew weeks before the 2012 election that his campaign financing — strictly limited under French law — was getting close to the legal maximum. They accused him of having ignored two notes from his accountants warning against racking up additional expenses.
Instead, he gave instructions that led to more money being spent and did not put in place a supervision system, prosecutors said.
FILE - In this Thursday, May 17, 2007 file picture, French President Nicolas Sarkozy gestures towards reporters as he steps into the Elysee Palace, coming back from a run in Paris, France. The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena, File)
“Sarkozy is the signatory and the only person responsible for his campaign financing. He is responsible for monitoring expenses, which he did not do,” prosecutor Vanessa Perree said.
He showed “his intention to exceed (the limit) by continuing to hold his rallies,” she added.
Prosecutors said on March 10, 2012, eight weeks before the presidential election runoff, the campaign’s budget was already above the legal limit. The next day, Sarkozy held a giant rally at Villepinte, north of Paris, which alone cost 6 million euros.
FILE - In this Oct.6, 2014 file photo, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaks during a campaign meeting for the leadership of the conservative UMP party in Velizy, west of Paris. The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. (AP PhotoMichel Euler, File)
Closer to election day, Sarkozy held almost one rally per day, including two major ones in Paris at a cost of several millions of euros.
During his one-day appearance at the Paris court last week, Sarkozy vehemently denied wrongdoing. He said the extra money did not go to his campaign, but instead helped make other people richer.
He said, voice often raised in anger, that he followed the financial recommendations of his staff, including cancelling two planned rallies. “I don’t see where I was careless, where I was negligent,” he said.
FILE - In this May 15, 2012 file photo a worker removes the official portraits of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, at Elysee Palace. The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. (AP PhotoThibault Camus, File)
He said he “never” gave any direct instructions to service providers in charge of the organization, because he had a team to do that.
“We made mistakes, probably... But was there malicious intent, fraudulent intent? No, no,” he said.
In addition to the former president, 13 other people are on trial, including members of his conservative Republicans party, accountants and heads of the communication group in charge of organizing the rallies, named Bygmalion. They face charges including forgery, breach of trust, fraud and complicity in illegal campaign financing.
FILE - In this June 15, 2021 file photo, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, center right, arrives at the court room in Paris. The trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy concludes Tuesday in Paris, after a month during which the court sought to determine whether he broke laws on campaign financing in his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid. (AP PhotoRafael Yaghobzadeh, File)
Some have already admitted wrongdoing and detailed the system of false invoices that was meant to cover up the overspending.
Prosecutors requested mostly suspended prison sentences, and up to one year in prison for the Bygmalion co-funder.
The defendants “disagree on everything. The declarations are not credible, possibly they are lies,” Perree said.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, center, arrives at the court room in Paris, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Nicolas Sarkozy goes trial on charges that his unsuccessful reelection bid was illegally financed. (AP PhotoRafael Yaghobzadeh)
Sarkozy retired from active politics in 2017, but is still playing a role behind the scenes within his party, The Republicans. French media have reported that he may end up supporting centrist President Emmanuel Macron, through an alliance with figures on the traditional right, in next year’s presidential election.