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Two police motorbikes are driving in front of two black cars with tinted windows.

Sarkozy released from jail 'nightmare' pending appeal

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been freed from prison, a 20-day experience the former president called a "nightmare", as a judge ordered his release pending an appeal decision over Libyan funding.

World • 3 hrs

Nicolas Sarkozy waves as his wife carla bruni stands beside him

Sarkozy being protected by security guards in jail

France's interior minister has confirmed that former president Nicolas Sarkozy would be protected by two security officers while serving jail time in a criminal conspiracy case involving Libya.

World • 22 Oct

Nicolas Sarkozy with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy leaving his residence

Sarkozy begins jail term in France, proclaims innocence

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has entered a Paris jail where he will serve a five-year sentence over seeking to acquire Libyan funding for his 2007 presidential run.

Europe • 21 Oct

Nicolas Sarkozy pictured as he arrived at the courthouse in Paris

France's Sarkozy loses corruption appeal, avoids jail

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his appeal against a 2021 conviction for corruption and influence peddling at the Paris Court of Appeals, a decision his legal team said he would challenge.

World • 17 May 23

Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of offering to help a judge obtain a senior job

Former French president Sarkozy guilty of corruption

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of corruption and handed a three-year prison sentence, after a court in Paris convicted him for trying to illegally influence a judge during his time in office.

World • 01 Mar 21

Nicolas Sarkozy is on trial for charges of trying to bribe a judge and influence-peddling

Sarkozy denies trying to bribe judge at graft trial

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy told a French court today that he had never engaged in corruption and that he was the victim of lies.

World • 07 Dec 20

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrives at court for his trial on corruption charges

Former French president Sarkozy goes on trial

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy went on trial today on charges of corruption, becoming the first French ex-head of state to stand as an accused in the dock.

Europe • 23 Nov 20

Nicolas Sarkozy said his innocence had been tarnished by the charges

Sarkozy charged with 'conspiracy' over election finance

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing new legal charges over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 election campaign, according to financial prosecutors.

Europe • 16 Oct 20

The Court of Cassation said that a trial was justified for Mr Sarkozy as well as his lawyer Thierry Herzog and former judge Gilbert Azibert

Sarkozy to go on trial after final appeal fails

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy is to go on trial facing charges of corruption and influence peddling after losing his final bid to avert appearing in the dock, sources close to the case have said.

World • 19 Jun 19

Lawyers for the former president indicated he would appeal the decision to send him to court

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy to face trial

Nicolas Sarkozy has been ordered to stand trial for influence peddling over accusations he offered to help a prosecutor get promoted in return for leaked information about a separate criminal inquiry.

World • 29 Mar 18

Nicolas Sarkozy denies claims his election campaign accepted cash from Muammar Gaddafi

Sarkozy investigated for illegal campaign financing

Judges in France have placed former French president Nicolas Sarkozy under formal investigation over allegations of illegal campaign financing.

World • 21 Mar 18

Nicolas Sarkozy dismissed the Libyan allegations as 'grotesque'

French ex-president Sarkozy held in funding probe

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is being held in police custody for questioning by magistrates looking into allegations of Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, a French judicial official has said.

Nicolas Sarkozy • 20 Mar 18

Francois Fillon arrives at a presidential campaign political rally in Nimes, Southern France, earlier today

Police raid Francois Fillon's home in fake jobs probe

French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon's shrinking supporter base has been eroded further, a day after news that he faces a formal investigation for allegations he misused public funds.

News • 02 Mar 17

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy pictured voting in Paris earlier today

Sarkozy concedes defeat in French primary

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy conceded defeat in the first round of the right-wing presidential primary after finishing third behind two former prime ministers.

World • 20 Nov 16

Nicolas Sarkozy said 'the five years that come will be full of danger, but also of hope'

France's Sarkozy announces new presidential bid

Former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that he will seek his party's nomination to stand in next year's presidential election.

News • 22 Aug 16

He was placed under formal investigation on suspicion of 'influence peddling'

Nicolas Sarkozy denies breaking the law

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has denied he had broken the law after being charged with corruption-related offences.

World • 02 Jul 14

Nicolas Sarkozy quizzed over suspected influence-peddling

French ex-president Sarkozy held for questioning

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is being held for questioning into suspicions that a network of informers kept him abreast of a separate inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign.

News • 02 Jul 14

New claims that French government was aware of the tapping of former president Nicolas Sarkozy's phone

French justice minister knew of tapping scandal

France's justice minister has defied calls for her to quit after it emerged that she knew former President Nicolas Sarkozy's phone was being tapped, apparently contradicting an earlier statement which she made.

News • 12 Mar 14

Sarkozy to file legal complaint over secret tapes

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife are to file a legal complaint over secret recordings made of them by an adviser during the 2012 election campaign, lawyers for the couple said.

News • 06 Mar 14

Nicolas Sarkozy has been dogged for years by the "Bettencourt affair" in which he denies any misconduct

Sarkozy-Bettencourt investigation to proceed

A French appeals court has ruled an investigation can proceed into former president Nicolas Sarkozy on accusations he duped L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt into donating election campaign funds.

News • 24 Sep 13

Nicolas Sarkozy is being investigated for claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations

Prosecutor recommends dropping Sarkozy case

A French public prosecutor has recommended dropping an investigation into ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman.

News • 28 Jun 13

Nicolas Sarkozy was questioned for 12 hours over campaign financing

Nicolas Sarkozy questioned over campaign funds

French former President Nicolas Sarkozy has not been put under formal investigation by magistrates looking into whether he received illegal campaign funds.

News • 23 Nov 12

French police search Sarkozy's home and office

French police have searched Nicolas Sarkozy's offices and home as part of their probe into claims he was involved in illegal political campaign financing, his lawyer said.

News • 03 Jul 12

Newly-elected French President Francois Hollande is seeking a parliamentary majority for his party

Hollande on track for majority in French election

French President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party is headed for an absolute majority in parliament with its Greens Party allies, according to initial vote projections from tonight's first-round ballot.

News • 10 Jun 12

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande in Berlin talks

France and Germany vow to assist Greece

German chancellor Angela Merkel has said both she and new French President Francois Hollande want Greece to remain in the eurozone.

News • 15 May 12