Pressure on Macron to PARDON Sarkozy after jail sentence.

Emmanuel Macron Faces Pressure to Pardon Nicolas Sarkozy After Guilty Verdict

Emmanuel Macron is under increasing pressure to pardon former French president Nicolas Sarkozy following his conviction for criminal conspiracy. A Paris court sentenced Sarkozy, 70, to five years in jail, a €100,000 fine, and a five-year ban from public office for allegedly seeking funds from Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 election campaign.

The ruling has sparked anger among the French right, with allies urging Macron to intervene. Pardoning Sarkozy could be seen as protecting the political elite, while refusing could alienate the conservative right, who are already critical of Macron's presidency.

Sarkozy, the first former president of modern France to be sentenced to jail time, plans to appeal the verdict. The court issued an immediate deferred detention order, requiring Sarkozy to report to prosecutors by October 13 to learn when he must begin his incarceration.

The guilty verdict was based on a conspiracy charge, alleging that Sarkozy and his associates collaborated with Libyan officials to secure campaign financing between 2005 and 2007. However, the court could not confirm if the money was actually used for the campaign.

The trial involved 11 co-defendants, including three former ministers. One key accuser, businessman Ziad Takieddine, passed away before standing trial. Another individual implicated was Alexandre Djouhri, along with figures connected to Gaddafi's inner circle.

In a separate case, Sarkozy faces an appeal hearing on October 8 in the Bygmalion affair, where he was convicted for overspending on his 2012 re-election bid. He also has a conviction in the Bismuth case for corruption and influence peddling, which led to him wearing an electronic ankle bracelet earlier this year.

The situation poses a challenge for Macron amid deep political divisions in France, with protests against government policies intensifying. Just a week before Sarkozy's conviction, nearly a million anti-Macron protesters clashed with police in Paris, demanding increased public spending and higher taxes on the wealthy.