Closing arguments in Sarkozy trial: Ex-French pdt appealing verdict in Libya finance case

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]Let's cross now to Olivia Biseau, who's at the courthouse. Olivia, what can we expect to see in the next few days?

[00:00:10]Well, today begins one of the most important phases of this Nicolas Sarkozy appeal trial, the requisition. This is when the prosecution is going to put forward its sentencing request. Now, these are by no means set in stone. It's the judges that make the decision at the end of the day, but they do definitely provide a benchmark. Now, this follows a very emotional week last week. That's when the courtroom was dominated by the civil parties, which included the families of the victims of the DC-10.

[00:00:41]That's the plane that was bombed back in 1989. It was on its way to Paris from Brazzaville when it blew up over Niger.

[00:00:50]And a French court later found that that bombing was caused by the Libyan government in a terrorist act. And the Libyan government therefore was responsible as well as its intelligence officers. Now, those were very emotional and legally sound testimonies last week.

[00:01:10]And now, over the next three days, the mic is being handed over to the state prosecutors. Now, it's expected that they're going to attempt to dismantle Nicolas Sarkozy's defense and ultimately argue why they believe that he and his inner circle were guilty and are guilty of a criminal conspiracy to fund Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign. Now, they're going to be putting forward their sentencing requests on Wednesday.

[00:01:45]The floor will then be or the will then belong to the defense. That's how the French legal system works. They're going to have the final word. And then it will be up to the judges to make their final decision. Now, this is a very complicated case. There's a huge amount at stake. So, the judges are going to take some time to deliberate, and the verdict is expected to be announced this autumn. So, what's at stake with this trial, Olivia?

[00:02:14]Well, there's a huge amount at stake both for former President Nicolas Sarkozy and the French political landscape as a whole. Now, first for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in the first instance, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Now, that stunned the French public. He's the first French president of the fifth republic to have been sent to prison. Now, he was released in order to fight this case, and he has a lot at stake because his name could either be completely cleared, or he could face up to 10 years in prison. Now, that's the maximum amount of sentencing that he could be given.

[00:02:59]Now, he's not the only one who who is at this courthouse. There are also former ministers and associates that have a huge amount at stake as well. Now, it's expected that the prosecution is going to request heavy sentencing for some of the ministers and associates that were close to him, including of course Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux.

[00:03:22]Now, finally, there's a huge amount at stake for the French state and public trust. This whole trial tests the limit of the French judiciary system. Nicolas Sarkozy has consistently said that he's a victim of a judicial witch hunt, and so the final verdict will determine whether the French law is above everyone, even former French president, but it could also risk greatly dividing public opinion as Sarkozy is still highly influential in both the public and political spheres here in France. Olivia Bizot reporting there. Thank you.