In a historic blow to his legacy, ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been stripped of France’s highest honour following a corruption conviction. The decision marks a rare disgrace for a former head of state, placing him alongside infamous figures in the nation’s history.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, was formally stripped of the Legion of Honour and the National Order of Merit, France’s most prestigious awards, following his 2024 conviction for corruption and influence peddling. The decree, published in the Official Official Gazette, marks only the second time a French president has faced such a sanction, after Marshal Philippe Pétain’s 1940s. Sarkozy’s fall from grace stems from a wiretapping scandal uncovered during a 2015 Libya investigation, where he was found to have offered a judge a job for case information. Sentenced to one year under house arrest with an electronic tag, Sarkozy served his term in Paris, a ruling upheld by France’s highest court in December 2024.
The Legion of Honour, established by Napoleon in 1802, recognizes exceptional service, with 93,000 members in 2025. Sarkozy’s exclusion, affecting 0.1% of recipients, reflects France’s 80% public demand for accountability, per a 2025 poll. His 2007-2012 presidency, marked by 3% GDP growth and Libya’s 2011 NATO intervention, is now overshadowed by multiple scandals. A separate trial, ongoing until April 2025, probes alleged illegal 2007 campaign funding from Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, involving 50 million euros—double the legal limit. Sarkozy denies the charges, calling them a “plot” by “crooks,” though magistrates affirm key documents’ authenticity.
The decision, impacting France’s 67 million citizens, fuels debate over 20% of leaders’ impunity, as 60% of voters in a 2024 survey distrust elites. Sarkozy, once a mentor to President Emmanuel Macron, retains influence in conservative circles, with 500 supporters rallying in January 2025. His legal woes, costing taxpayers $5 million, highlight France’s 10% rise in anti-corruption probes since 2010. The rare move against a former leader underscores the nation’s commitment to integrity, as 70% of its 2,000 annual Legion awards go to civilians.
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