On Wednesday, a Paris court upheld a one-year prison sentence for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, with six months suspended, in the "Pygmalion" case. This case involved exceeding the legal spending limit during his unsuccessful 2012 presidential bid.

The court president clarified that the sentence modifies the earlier one imposed on Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012. Importantly, Sarkozy is not accused of directly creating false invoices, unlike other defendants involved in the scheme that saw campaign expenses balloon to nearly double the legal limit.

This ruling comes after Sarkozy appealed a similar one-year sentence issued in September 2021. He continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing, calling the accusations "lies."

Sarkozy is not the first French president to face legal troubles. This case highlights the continued scrutiny of political campaign financing in France and the potential consequences for even prominent figures like former presidents.