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WafricNews – June 15, 2025

Paris – Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has officially been stripped of the Legion of Honour, France’s most prestigious award, following his corruption conviction—a rare and symbolic fall from grace for the 70-year-old political heavyweight.

A presidential decree made public on Sunday confirmed the decision, in line with the rules governing the order. According to the Legion of Honour Code, anyone sentenced to at least one year in prison is automatically excluded.

This comes months after France’s highest appeals court upheld Sarkozy’s 2021 conviction for attempting to bribe a judge. He had been wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet up until May 2025, marking a humiliating chapter for a man who once held the nation’s highest office.

Macron Initially Opposed Move

Despite the legal ruling, President Emmanuel Macron had previously resisted revoking Sarkozy’s honour. In April, he argued that respect for former presidents should prevail, even in scandal. The two men are known to maintain personal ties, with Sarkozy continuing to wield influence in right-wing political circles.

But the rule of law ultimately took precedence. Sarkozy now joins a short, infamous list of figures removed from the Legion of Honour—among them Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain, ex-Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, and film mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Legal Battles Far From Over

Sarkozy’s legal team is not backing down. His lawyer, Patrice Spinosi, confirmed that the former president is appealing to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in a final bid to overturn the conviction. Should the court rule in his favour, it could potentially reverse both the criminal judgment and the loss of his national honour.

Meanwhile, Sarkozy is facing another serious trial—this time over allegations that he accepted illicit funds from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. Prosecutors are pushing for a seven-year prison sentence, and a verdict is expected in September. Sarkozy maintains his innocence in both cases.

Once a dominant figure in European politics, Sarkozy’s legal troubles now cast a long shadow over his legacy.


By WafricNews Desk.

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