Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to walk free from La Santé Prison after serving just three weeks of a five-year sentence for his alleged role in a criminal conspiracy linked to illegal campaign funding from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
A Paris court granted the 70-year-old’s early release on Monday, imposing strict judicial supervision that bars him from leaving France or contacting witnesses in the ongoing “Libyan dossier” investigation.
Appearing via video link, Sarkozy described his time in solitary confinement as “gruelling” and “a nightmare.” He once again denied any wrongdoing, declaring, “I never had the mad idea of asking Gaddafi for money, and I will never admit to something I haven’t done.”
Public prosecutor Damien Brunet supported the request for Sarkozy’s release, noting that his appeal trial is scheduled for March 2026.
Sarkozy — the first French ex-president to serve jail time since World War II — has been embroiled in a string of legal controversies since leaving office in 2012. In 2024, he served time under house arrest with an electronic tag after being convicted of attempting to bribe a magistrate.
During the hearing, Sarkozy expressed appreciation for the prison staff, commending their “exceptional humanity” for helping make his brief imprisonment “bearable.”
His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and two of his sons were present in court to support him.
