France's Sarkozy Faces Jail Term
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing a possible prison term in a verdict to be rendered on Thursday regarding the financing of the campaign in his 2012 re-election bid.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces a possible prison sentence in a conviction to be rendered on Thursday regarding the financing of his campaign in his failed 2012 reelection effort. This decision comes seven months after he was convicted in a corruption and influence peddling case.
France's President from 2007 to 2012 has vehemently denied any wrongdoing during the May-June trial.
He is however accused of spending nearly twice the maximum legal limit of 22.5 million euros ($27.5 million) on his reelection campaign, which he lost to Socialist Francois Hollande.
Prosecutors have asked for a six-month prison sentence, a six-month suspended sentence, and a fine of 3,750 euros ($4,354).
Sarkozy, 66, was convicted on March 1 of corruption and influence peddling in another instance, receiving a sentence of one year in prison and two years suspended in that case, but he is currently free pending an appeal.
The former President was previously found guilty of trying to bribe a judge to reach confidential information on a judicial inquiry. He was sentenced to three years in prison in that case, two of which were suspended.