French former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who ruled from 2007 to 2012, had his Legion d’honneur (Legion of Honor) revoked due to a graft conviction, according to a decree published Sunday. This action makes him the second French head of state to be stripped of the recognition after Philippe Petain, who led the collaborationist Vichy regime during World War II.
The decision to revoke Sarkozy’s award contradicted the stance of current French President Emmanuel Macron, who believed that former presidents should be respected.
The Legion d’honneur, France’s highest civil and military merit award, was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It is automatically forfeited if a recipient is convicted of a crime or receives a prison sentence of at least one year.
Sarkozy, plagued by legal issues since losing the 2012 French presidency, was convicted of graft and given an electronic ankle bracelet instead of a one-year jail sentence. The conviction was upheld by an appeals court, which ordered him to wear the bracelet. Sarkozy, who has since removed the bracelet, was found guilty of attempting to secure a judge’s favor illegally.
Sarkozy is appealing his conviction at the European Court of Human Rights and is also on trial for allegedly accepting an illicit campaign donation from the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. A verdict in this case is expected in September. If prosecutors are successful, Sarkozy could face a seven-year prison term.
Despite these legal challenges, Sarkozy continues to maintain a political presence in right-wing French politics and has regular meetings with Martín.
During his presidency, Sarkozy closely collaborated with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, particularly in dealing with the eurozone crisis, earning them the name “Merkozy.”
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/former-french-president-sarkozy-stripped-of-national-honor/a-72914715?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
