Sarkozy avoids second electronic tag sentence in campaign funding case

PARIS: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will not have to serve a sentence under electronic monitoring with an ankle tag in connection with the illegal financing of his 2012 re-election campaign, an informed source said on Wednesday.

Sarkozy, 71, has faced multiple legal cases since leaving office after serving a single presidential term from 2007 to 2012. He has denied all allegations in every case.

The latest development means he has escaped a second sentence involving an electronic ankle tag, according to the informed source cited in the report.

Series of legal cases after presidency

The former president has been the subject of a string of accusations since the end of his time in office. He left the presidency after one term, having served from 2007 until 2012.

Last year, Sarkozy became the first former French president in modern France to go to jail. He served 20 days in a case linked to alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.

That case remains before the courts, with his appeal trial still under way.

In addition to that matter, Sarkozy has also received two final convictions in other cases.

Denials maintained

Throughout the various proceedings brought against him since leaving office, Sarkozy has rejected the accusations. He has denied all allegations in all cases.

The informed source did not provide further details in the report beyond saying that Sarkozy would not serve time with an electronic ankle tag as punishment in the case concerning the unlawful funding of his 2012 re-election bid.

The development adds to a long-running series of legal challenges for the former French leader, whose post-presidential years have been marked by repeated court cases tied to campaign financing and other matters.

The case concerning alleged Libyan funding of his 2007 campaign, meanwhile, is still continuing at the appeal stage.