France rocked by cases against conservative politicians

In the last week, France has been hit by two corruption scandals within its political system, both targeting conservative leaders.

The first was prosecutors requesting a seven-year prison sentence, a €300,000 ($329,000) fine and five years of ineligibility for former President Nicolas Sarkozy. He is accused of receiving up to €50 million in illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign. The prosecution portrayed him as the mastermind behind a corruption pact with Muammar Qaddafi. Jail time was also requested for some of Sarkozy’s former ministers: six years for Claude Gueant, three years for Brice Hortefeux and one year for Eric Woerth. Prosecutors argued that only firm prison sentences could protect society from such corruption.

Sarkozy denied the charges, calling the prosecution’s case exaggerated and based on speculation. He has vowed to prove his innocence, with his defense set to present its arguments next week. This is Sarkozy’s fifth trial in five years and he is already serving a one-year sentence under electronic surveillance following a separate corruption case.

The second scandal and the one with the biggest impact concerned Marine Le Pen, the head of the National Rally party. She was sentenced by a criminal court to four years in prison (two to be served under electronic surveillance and two suspended), a €100,000 fine and five years of ineligibility with immediate effect.

The case concerns the alleged misuse of €2.9 million in public funds to finance her party through a system involving European parliamentary assistants between 2004 and 2016. The court found her guilty of playing a “central role” in this scheme during her time as a Member of the European Parliament. There were 24 other individuals convicted, including key political members and the political formation itself.

In short, and a little like in the US, this is being interpreted as a political condemnation and not a judicial one

Khaled Abou Zahr

These back-to-back cases forced French President Emmanuel Macron to address the issue for the first time at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday. The president declared that the judiciary was independent and highlighted the necessity that judges be protected. He also made it clear that all defendants have the right to appeal. This is nevertheless a little troubling and a sign of the impact these decisions will have on a European country.

This has already become a hot political topic for several reasons. The fact that these rulings only concerned right-wing politicians has raised suspicion on social media, especially as many leftist political leaders had called for the boycott and blocking of the National Rally after its good performance in last year’s elections. In short, and a little like in the US, this is being interpreted as a political condemnation and not a judicial one.

One point to which Macron did not respond to is the question of Le Pen’s ineligibility to run for office taking effect immediately, which has caused the biggest stir in France and Europe as a whole. Even Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s initial reaction was to express concern about the immediate ineligibility clause in the ruling. As Le Pen and the National Rally have appealed, the Paris Court of Appeal declared it will review the case by summer 2026. This means that it will be considered before the next presidential election, which is a positive sign. Nevertheless, the party has called for rallies in protest, which is not unusual in France. Some looking to minimize the situation are referring to the now more than a dozen politicians who have been condemned.

Indeed, over the past two decades, France has seen numerous high-profile political corruption cases. The most significant early case was that of Jacques Chirac, who was convicted in 2011 for embezzlement during his time as mayor of Paris. Accusations against Francois Fillon in 2017, involving fictitious jobs, severely hit his presidential campaign. He was convicted in 2020.

Other well-known figures to have been convicted include Patrick Balkany, the former mayor of Levallois-Perret, who was found guilty of tax evasion, and Jerome Cahuzac, the former budget minister, who was sentenced for tax fraud and money laundering. However, the fact that most of these cases involve conservative politicians tends to fuel the social media narrative of all this being pure political manipulation.

This is why there has also been a strong reaction from conservative political leaders across Europe and the US

Khaled Abou Zahr

This is why there has also been a strong reaction from conservative political leaders across Europe and the US. Hungary’s Viktor Orban posted on X, “Je suis Marine,” while Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini framed Le Pen’s sentence as a declaration of war by the EU. Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders criticized the “incredibly tough verdict.” In the US, President Donald Trump described it as “a very big deal” and Donald Trump Jr. asked, “are they just trying to prove J.D. Vance was right about everything,” referring to the US vice president’s views on an authoritarian left-wing drift in Europe. Elon Musk stated on X that this would “backfire” and US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that the “exclusion of people from the political process is particularly concerning.”

It is undeniable that these legal events and the subsequent reactions are contributing to the erosion of institutions in France and Europe. And in these times of global geopolitical tensions — especially as the risks of a broadening war from Ukraine rise — they could lead to a breach of the stability and safety of the continent.

As everyone is in wait-and-see mode, one remembers that large protests are not the forte of conservative movements and are usually more impactful when organized by the left. Yet, as a French friend of mine sometimes prepares what is called a “salade fourre-tout,” made with whatever ingredients are available in the kitchen and that is usually delicious, these protests might become a “fourre-tout” for all current grievances that will be sour and explosive.

• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.