Nicolas Sarkozy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty Thursday of illegal campaign financing of his unsuccessful 2012 reelection bid.

Sarkozy wasn't present at the Paris court for the verdict's announcement.

The court stated that Sarkozy "knew" the legal limit was at stake and "voluntarily" failed to supervise additional expenses.

The government of Emmanuel Macron is preparing plans to replace French as the official "working language" of the EU when France takes over the presidency of the EU Council in January 2022, a diplomat was quoted as saying by Politico. Paris sees its first post-Brexit leadership in the union as an opportunity to push its native language for the lingua franca of Brussels.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption on March 1 and handed a three-year prison sentence, in a ruling that deals a major blow to any lingering political ambitions.

He will go to prison for a year with two suspended sentences.
The 66-year-old politician, who was president from 2007 to 2012, was convicted because he tried to illegally find out information about legal proceedings taken against him by a senior judge in 2014, AP reports.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and two former associates have been sentenced to three years in jail - two of them suspended - for corruption.

Sarkozy, 66, was found guilty of trying to bribe a magistrate, Gilbert Azibert, by offering a prestigious job in Monaco in return for information about a criminal inquiry into his political party.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy goes on trial on Nov. 23 on charges of corruption and influence peddling in a phone-tapping scandal, a first for the 65-year-old politician who has faced several other judicial investigations since leaving office in 2012.

"There is a strong view inside the upper circles of the governing party that if they do not change the line, they may fail in 2022," Gabor Torok, a leading political analyst, told Nepszava daily.

Fidesz has already lured back Orban's longtime spin doctor, Arpad Habony, from his London retreat — to lead a new political offensive and demolish the opposition for good, insiders say.

Former French President Jacques Chirac has died at the age of 86, his family said.

The former head of state has died this morning. His family was next to him, the statement said.

The French historian is one of the petitioners urging Paris to withdraw its recognition of Kosovo, and is also announcing the launch of this initiative in the French parliament.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been sent to trial for corruption and influence peddling, The Guardian writes.
The case centres over phone calls Sarkozy allegedly made to a senior judge who was investigating claims that his 2007 presidential campaign was illegally funded.