The former President of the Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been sentenced to five years in prison in the case of the alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign. In the Alpes-Maritimes, elected officials quickly reacted with a mix of outrage, support, and criticism.
The news hit like a political and judicial shock. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic from 2007 to 2012, has been sentenced to five years in prison. The court’s decision included a deferred detention order. The case involves suspicions of Libyan financing of his 2007 electoral campaign, a case that has been open for more than fifteen years. The announcement immediately triggered a wave of reactions in the Alpes-Maritimes, where several political leaders expressed themselves.
Strong support from right-wing officials
The president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Renaud Muselier, spoke out on the network X. His reaction was marked by deep anger.
“A former President of the Republic sent to prison for a crime that is not defined, based on a media that has committed a clear forgery!! After 15 years of proceedings, the discrediting of the political class through judicial means poses a real democratic problem! Meanwhile, hundreds of offenders and OQTF remain free in our territory! I am pained for Nicolas Sarkozy and saddened for France. I must control myself not to be overwhelmed by an overwhelming sense of injustice,” he wrote.
In Mandelieu-La Napoule, the mayor from the Republicans, Sébastien Leroy, expressed a similar sentiment. His message left no room for nuance: “In summary: Mediapart’s accusatory document is a forgery, no illegal financing, no financial flow, no corruption, no enrichment. But he is right-wing, and the magistrates’ union hates him. Verdict: 5 years with a detention order. Everything’s fine, comrade.”
Joseph Segura, mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Var from the Republicans, also expressed his indignation. For him, the court decision is “an inappropriate and cruel measure.” He added: “A former President of the Republic, who has served France so much, treated like a criminal. This provisional execution of his sentence is an inappropriate and cruel measure.”
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, a former minister under Sarkozy’s presidency, took on a different tone. He described it as a “thunderclap,” but primarily emphasized loyalty to his former leader. “Today my friend [Nicolas Sarkozy], our former President of the Republic, is going through one of the most significant trials of his life. Beyond the thunderclap that this conviction represents, I want to reiterate my friendship and esteem for him. No court decision will erase the statesman he was and remains, especially in the hearts of the French. Like millions of us, I remember how he made France shine in the world,” he wrote on X.
Éric Ciotti, deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes, former president of the Republicans, and currently at the head of the Union of the Rights for the Republic, reacted briefly. “A friendly thought for Nicolas Sarkozy, sentenced to an extremely severe punishment in a trial where evidence of corruption or illegal campaign financing was not established,” he stated.
The PCF06 on the offensive
On the left side, the tone is quite different. Julien Picot, a communist elected official from the Alpes-Maritimes, firmly criticizes Éric Ciotti’s stance. In a statement, he denounces a recurring attitude: “After denying the condemnation of [Marine Le Pen](https://www.nicepremium.fr/actualite/marine-le-pen-et-jordan-bardella-debarquent-a-nice-pour-un-meeting-du-rassemblement-national/) caught red-handed with the cash, after praising a mural glorifying two convicted crooks, Jacques Médecin and Albert Spaggiari, now Éric Ciotti rushes to the rescue of Nicolas Sarkozy, tainted by the Libyan financing of his campaign. Always quick to defend the corrupt and white-collar criminals, Éric Ciotti no longer resembles an elected official of the Republic but rather the union representative of political big banditry. That’s a lot, Mr. Ciotti!”
This reaction illustrates the political divide that persists in the department, marked by a strong right-wing presence but also by a left-wing opposition seeking to occupy the field before the municipal elections.
The family voice
In this flurry of positions, a more personal voice was heard. That of Louis Sarkozy, a recent candidate for the mayoralty of Menton. He published a text on X. The message does not directly address the conviction but rather reflects on his father’s figure: “Happy are the sons of brave fathers, of great, good, just, and tender fathers. Happy are the sons of honest and upright men. How fortunate to be French. How fortunate to have such a father. Continue, advance, never give up – such is the nature of his commitment. Such must be the nature of ours. Happy are the sons of France. And happy are the beloved fathers.”
