Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been stripped of the Legion of Honour — France’s highest national award — following his conviction for corruption, according to a decree published on Sunday.
Sarkozy, a right-wing leader who governed from 2007 to 2012, has faced numerous legal troubles since his defeat in the 2012 presidential election.
Last year, an appeals court upheld his conviction for attempting to illegally influence a judge and sentenced him to one year under electronic surveillance, rather than imprisonment.
Under the rules governing the prestigious award, his removal from the Legion of Honour had long been anticipated, despite opposition from current President Emmanuel Macron.
Sarkozy is now the second former French head of state to lose the honour. The first was Philippe Pétain, the World War II leader convicted of high treason in 1945 for collaborating with Nazi Germany.
Although Sarkozy’s electronic tag was removed earlier this month, he is continuing to fight the graft conviction by appealing to the European Court of Human Rights — his final legal recourse.
In addition, he is currently facing trial in a separate case involving allegations of illegal campaign funding tied to the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. A verdict is expected in September, with prosecutors seeking a seven-year prison sentence. Sarkozy has denied all charges.
Despite his mounting legal woes, Sarkozy remains a key figure on the French political right and maintains regular contact with President Macron.
