Nicolas Sarkozy Stripped of Legion of Honour Following Corruption Conviction
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his Legion of Honour, the highest distinction in France, as a consequence of his confirmed corruption conviction from last year. This decision was documented in an official decree released on Sunday. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has faced numerous legal challenges since leaving office.
In December, France's highest court upheld his conviction for influence peddling and corruption, sentencing him to wear an electronic ankle monitor for twelve months. Sarkozy was found guilty in 2021 of attempting to bribe a judge and leveraging influence to acquire confidential information regarding his financial campaign investigation from 2007.
Although Sarkozy's electronic tag was removed earlier this month, he is continuing to fight the case, having appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). His lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, acknowledged the removal of the award but specified that the appeal is still in process. A potential ruling from the ECHR that is unfavorable to France could result in a reevaluation of Sarkozy's criminal conviction and his exclusion from the prestigious Legion of Honour.
French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced his opposition to the decision to strip Sarkozy of his honour, arguing that it is essential to respect former presidents, given that they have been elected to the country's highest office. The rules governing France's top state award state that any recipient definitively sentenced to a prison term of at least one year will be excluded from the order.
Historically, Sarkozy is only the second former president to have his Legion of Honour revoked, the first being the Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain, who was convicted of high treason post World War II. Others who have lost this honour include former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, and film producer Harvey Weinstein, all of whom faced serious legal repercussions.
Sarkozy’s legal troubles are far from over, as he is also facing convictions related to illegal campaign financing during his unsuccessful 2012 reelection campaign. Presently, he is on trial for allegedly accepting illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. A verdict in this case is expected in September, with prosecutors advocating for a seven-year prison sentence, a claim that Sarkozy ardently denies.
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