Sarkozy seeks to overturn corruption conviction
STORY: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will try to convince a Paris court to overturn his March 2021 conviction for bribery and influence-peddling at an appeal hearing which started on Monday (December 5).
The initial trial saw Sarkozy sentenced to three years in prison, two of them suspended.
It was a stunning fall from grace for a man who served as president from 2007 to 2012.
But he is now facing a string of judicial investigations and trials.
At the time of the initial trial, the court found that Sarkozy had tried to bribe a judge after leaving office, and to peddle influence in exchange for confidential information about an investigation into his 2007 campaign finances.
According to judge Christine Mee, "he took advantage of his status and the relationships he had formed."
Sarkozy repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said he was the victim of witch-hunts and lies.
His appeal suspended the execution of the sentence in the original trial.
The appeal hearing, scheduled to last until December 16, will review both the verdict and the sentence.
Together with late Jacques Chirac, who was found guilty of corruption in 2011, Sarkozy is the only other president to be convicted by a court.
