France's Cour de Cassation has confirmed former President Nicolas Sarkozy's conviction for illegal campaign financing during his unsuccessful 2012 re-election effort.
The decision marks a significant legal setback for the 70-year-old politician, who served as president from 2007 to 2012.
Sarkozy's party, then known as the UMP, exceeded the legal spending limit of 22.5 million euros by nearly double, according to prosecutors.
The overspending involved lavish rallies, with costs hidden through invoices from the PR firm Bygmalion.
Sarkozy has consistently denied involvement in the campaign's financial logistics.
The case centered on Sarkozy's demands for elaborate American-style events to counter his opponent, François Hollande.
Prosecutors noted warnings about approaching the spending cap, but additional rallies proceeded.
In 2021, a court found Sarkozy aware of the overspending yet unresponsive.
An appeal in 2024 upheld the one-year sentence, with six months suspended.
The non-custodial term allows alternatives like an electronic tag instead of imprisonment.
Sarkozy's legal team indicated plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
This ruling follows Sarkozy's recent imprisonment in a separate case involving alleged Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign.
He spent about 20 days in La Santé prison before release in early November, pending appeal.
Under judicial supervision, he cannot leave France.
Sarkozy also faces an upheld corruption conviction from last December, served via electronic monitoring.
In September, he received a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy, with an appeal set for next year.
Shortly after his release, Sarkozy announced a book titled "A Prisoner's Diary," sharing excerpts on social media.