France's Sarkozy plays down new conviction at book signing event
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[October 02, 2021]
PARIS (Reuters) - Former French
President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday played down his conviction for
illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid,
suggesting many people in France had doubts about this week's guilty
verdict.
Sarkozy, 66, made his first public comments on the conviction - his
second this year - during an appearance at a Paris bookshop to sign
copies of his new book "Promenades", which is focused on his literary
and cultural influences.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Lamartine bookshop to greet the
former leader despite the verdict, something Sarkozy said was "very
moving and very reassuring, regarding the state of the country's morale.
People aren't fooled."
Sarkozy, who remains influential in conservative circles, was sentenced
to a one-year prison term on Sept. 30, but is unlikely to go to jail.
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He denies wrongdoing and has vowed to appeal the sentence, a move that
in effect suspends it, and the judge said he could serve the sentence at
home with an electronic tag.
Sarkozy's supporters have criticised the verdict as politically
motivated, but his second conviction this year marks a sharp fall from
grace for the man who led France from 2007 to 2012.
Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate trial in March of trying to bribe
a judge and peddle influence in order to obtain confidential information
on a judicial inquiry. He also denied wrongdoing in that case.
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![](../images/100221pics/news_r67.jpg)
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy reacts during a meeting with
the readers of his latest book "Promenades" at a bookstore in Paris,
France, October 2, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
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The two convictions could force Sarkozy to play a
more discreet role in next year's presidential election. He had not
planned to stand but, as a popular figure on the political right, he
would be expected to support his party's candidate.
Potential presidential candidates who also belong to Sarkozy's Les
Republicains party - Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Michel
Barnier - tweeted message of support for Sarkozy, saying they backed
his decision to appeal.
(Reporting by Yiming Woo, Stephane Mahe, Sudip Kar-Gupta and Marc
Angrand; Editing by Helen Popper)
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