Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced for illegal election financing

Sarkozy

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy. PHOTO | AFP

A French court on Thursday handed former president Nicolas Sarkozy a one-year sentence for illegal financing of his 2012 re-election bid, dealing a fresh blow to the right-winger six months after he received a jail term for corruption.

Sarkozy, 66, will not serve time behind bars under the terms of Thursday's verdict, with the court ruling that he would be able to serve the sentence outside of prison.