Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been stripped of the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest civilian and military distinction, following his conviction on corruption charges, according to a decree published Sunday.
The 70-year-old conservative leader, who served from 2007 to 2012, becomes only the second French head of state to lose the prestigious award. The first was Philippe Pétain, the leader of the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime, who was convicted of treason in 1945.
The decision to revoke Sarkozy’s honour was widely expected under the order’s rules, which mandate forfeiture for convictions carrying a prison sentence of at least one year. However, it came despite objections from current President Emmanuel Macron, who argued in April that former leaders "deserve respect."
Sarkozy was found guilty in 2021 of attempting to illegally influence a judge in exchange for insider information about an investigation into his campaign finances. An appeals court upheld the verdict last year, sentencing him to one year of electronic monitoring instead of jail time. He removed the ankle bracelet earlier this month.
The former president has denied wrongdoing and is appealing to the European Court of Human Rights. Separately, he faces trial over allegations of accepting illegal campaign funding from the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. A verdict in that case is expected in September; prosecutors are seeking a seven-year prison term.
Despite his legal battles, Sarkozy remains an influential figure in French right-wing politics and maintains occasional contact with Macron. During his presidency, he worked closely with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to navigate the eurozone crisis, earning the duo the nickname "Merkozy."