Sarkozy appeal against conspiracy conviction to begin in March

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's appeal against a conviction for criminal conspiracy related to illegal Libyan financing for his successful 2007 presidential bid will be heard from March 16 to June 3, a Paris appeal court said on Thursday.

Sarkozy walked out of jail this week after a court ruled he should not serve his prison sentence pending the appeal, contrary to the initial ruling. He will now seek to overturn the five-year sentence imposed in September.

"Truth will prevail. This is a fact that life teaches us," Sarkozy wrote on X after returning home.

Sarkozy was found guilty of conspiring to procure funds for his 2007 presidential campaign bid from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The imprisonment of the former conservative leader, who was president from 2007 to 2012, marked a stunning downfall for a politician who once bestrode the global stage.