Sarkozy jailing reignites debate over French political justice ahead of Le Pen appeal

By Gabriel Stargardter and Juliette Jabkhiro

PARIS (Reuters) -Former President Nicolas Sarkozy's prison sentence has deepened divisions in France over judges' handling of political wrongdoing, months before far-right chief Marine Le Pen attempts to overturn an embezzlement conviction and run for top office.

A Paris court jolted the political sphere on Thursday when it handed Sarkozy a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy over attempts to raise campaign funds from Libya. He will soon become the country's first post-war president to be imprisoned.

Ludovic Friat, the president of the USM, the largest union representing French prosecutors and judges, said the ruling demonstrated that no one was above the law - even if some might choose to question the court's motivation.

"There will clearly be a before and after this decision," he said. "In high-profile political-financial trials, some inevitably see judges stepping onto the political stage. What I regret is that ... too often, this becomes a smokescreen that diverts attention from the offences actually committed."

As Sarkozy left court, he reiterated his innocence, and said the ruling would undermine faith in France's judiciary.

"What happened today ... is of extreme gravity in regard to the rule of law, and for the trust one can have in the justice system," he said.

JUDGES CRACKING DOWN ON POLITICAL WRONGDOING

Sarkozy's prison sentence is enforceable immediately, with the former president given a short time to put his affairs in order, but not allowed to avoid prison pending an appeal as some French politicians have done in the past.

Appeals can take years, fuelling a sense of impunity for those in power, so judges are increasingly handing out "provisional execution" sentences that start immediately, lawyers and politicians have told Reuters.

"For several decades, there has been a growing democratic demand for integrity among elected officials," Judith Allenbach, the president of another judicial union, told Reuters.

She said 89% of jail terms over two years were enforced ahead of any appeals process and that judges were enacting laws passed by parliament mandating tougher sanctions for this type of crime.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR LE PEN?

Le Pen, the far-right leader of the National Rally (RN) party, was also given a "provisional execution" in March, when she was convicted of embezzling EU funds. She got a five-year political ban that bars her from running in the 2027 election.

Le Pen, whose January appeal will determine whether she can run in 2027, said Sarkozy's conviction showed that "the generalisation of provisional executions by certain jurisdictions represents a great danger."

Judicial sources said Le Pen and Sarkozy's cases are distinct, and it is impossible to say how one might influence the other.

Friat said the Sarkozy ruling showed judges are not wavering in their fight against political crime.

"I can understand her concern," he said of Le Pen, while emphasising that he did not know what the appeals court would decide.

Le Pen's allies say right-wing politicians receive harsher treatment from judges, highlighting the case of former centrist Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who was acquitted of fraud last year over the alleged misuse of EU funds.

Le Pen's plight also caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who said she was a victim of "lawfare" and sent a diplomatic delegation to offer support.

Brigitte Bareges, a right-wing former mayor, was convicted of embezzlement in 2021, and given a five-year political ban with "provisional execution." She was acquitted on appeal.

"What we see today is that the justice system - or at least a part of it - has become the weapon of those in power," she said. "Once, I had faith in justice; today, I'm afraid."

The justice ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bareges' remarks.

After Sarkozy's conviction, conservative Senate chief Gerard Larcher said "there is growing debate within society regarding the provisional execution of a conviction while appeals have not yet been exhausted, and I share this concern."

Left-wing lawmakers, however, applauded the Sarkozy ruling.

"The requirement to be honest and respect the law is not reserved for the public. It also applies to those in power," said Manuel Bompard of the France Unbowed party.

Amid calls for the "provisional execution" measure to be repealed, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in Le Parisien on Friday that "If a law gives rise to debate, it is up to parliament to address it."

(Writing by Gabriel StargardterAdditional reporting by Elizabeth PineauEditing by Richard Lough and Philippa Fletcher)