Former French president Sarkozy stripped of Legion of Honour medal

PARIS (Reuters) -Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been stripped of his Legion of Honour, France's highest distinction, after being convicted of corruption and influence peddling last year, according to a decree published in Sunday's Official Bulletin.

The centre-right politician has been embroiled in legal battles since leaving office in 2012.

Last year, France's highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state.

Also last year, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing in his failed re-election bid in 2012.

The rules of the Legion of Honour award meant that the revocation had been expected.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Gilles Guillaume; Editing by Kevin Liffey)