Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from prison on Monday after a Paris court ruled that he could remain free while appealing his conviction for conspiring to raise funds from Libya for his 2007 presidential campaign.
Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, had been jailed on 21 October following his September conviction for criminal conspiracy over efforts by aides to secure funds from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He was serving part of a five-year prison sentence at La Santé Prison in Paris.
The court determined that Sarkozy did not pose a flight risk and granted his release under judicial supervision. The conditions include a ban on leaving France and on communicating with any justice ministry official.
“Vive la liberté (Long live freedom),” his youngest son, Louis Sarkozy, wrote on X, sharing a childhood photo of himself smiling beside his father after the ruling.
Speaking via video link from prison, Sarkozy described his incarceration as “tough” and “draining,” but pledged to comply fully with judicial requirements. “I’m French, sir. I love my country. I’m fighting for the truth to prevail,” he said.
The 69-year-old former leader has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, claiming he is the victim of political revenge.
Sarkozy’s imprisonment was described by judges in September as a reflection of the “extraordinary seriousness” of his offence, marking a rare and dramatic downfall for a former French head of state.
He has faced multiple legal battles since leaving office. In 2023, France’s highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, requiring him to wear an electronic tag for a year a first for a former president. That sentence has since been served.
An appeals court also confirmed another conviction last year for illegal campaign financing during his failed 2012 re-election bid, with a final ruling from France’s highest court expected later this month.
Sarkozy remains under formal investigation in a separate case for alleged witness tampering.
