Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy requests concurrent sentences to avoid a second period of electronic monitoring, with a court decision pending.

ISTANBUL: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked a Paris court to allow two of his final prison sentences to be served concurrently.

His legal team submitted a request to merge the six-month custodial portion of his sentence in the Bygmalion campaign financing case with the penalty he already served in the separate Bismuth wiretapping case.

Lawyers argue the six-month alternative sentence should be considered fulfilled because Sarkozy previously wore an electronic monitoring bracelet for the Bismuth conviction.

The Paris Court of Appeal sentenced Sarkozy to one year in prison, with six months under alternative arrangements, for illegal campaign financing in February 2024.

France’s Court of Cassation rejected his final appeal in November, making the one-year sentence definitive.

This marked his second final conviction after receiving a three-year sentence, with one year under electronic monitoring, for corruption in the Bismuth affair in December 2024.

Sarkozy wore an electronic bracelet from 7 February to 12 May 2025 before being granted parole due to his age.

French law permits sentence mergers under specific conditions, including when offences were committed before a final conviction and penalties are of the same nature.

The Paris Criminal Court’s decision on the request is expected at a later date and may be subject to appeal.

Sarkozy is also scheduled to return to court on 16 March for the appeal trial in a separate Libyan campaign financing case.

He received a five-year prison sentence at first instance in that case for criminal association.

 The Sun Malaysia