Bygmalion trial: "Did I sign the checks?"

No ”, defends Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy at the Paris courthouse, June 15, 2021. REUTERS - PASCAL ROSSIGNOL

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

This Tuesday, June 15, Nicolas Sarkozy was questioned as a defendant for long hours by the Paris court in the campaign accounts trial.

The former president vehemently reiterated that he was not concerned with the cost or the organization of his meetings and that he was therefore not aware of the expenses.

Publicity

Read more

With our special correspondent at the Paris courthouse,

Pierre Olivier

To hear Nicolas Sarkozy, his 2012 campaign was no more flashy than that of François Hollande or Marine Le Pen that same year.

"

We did not eat caviar there,

 " he plague, turning to the audience: " 

Where is the solid gold countryside?"

 However, it cost 43 million euros, exceeding the ceilings authorized by law by 20 million. 

The president of the court cooks him, asks him if the organization of the meetings was his responsibility, if he was aware of the costs. Nicolas Sarkozy defends himself with force: "

I had people for that

 ", he takes offense, and goes on, addressing the court: "

You madam, you are indeed president of the court, you do not know how much did this courtroom cost

 ”.

At the time,” he

explains

, “I was still President of the Republic, I returned quickly, I did not have time to waste with the organization of meetings. I don't even know what the invitation cards look like. My role was political strategy.

 "For his meetings, Nicolas Sarkozy assures him, he had two concerns: having a good sound system to avoid" 

breaking the voice like Patrick Bruel 

", he quipped. The second was to not look pale and to always be well-lit.

A campaign no more sumptuous according to him than that of 2007 which therefore had no reason to worry about the amount of expenses.

He agrees: “ 

the 2012 campaign cost a little more than that of 2007, but not double.

You have to ask where the money went and who got rich.

In any case, it's not me.

 "

It is also on the two warning notes sent to the candidate by his accountants that the questioning relates.

They claim to have warned Nicolas Sarkozy of the surge in spending.

He retorts that he never saw the first note and reacted to the second, asking his team to pay attention to the costs.

Electrified by more than five hours of questioning, Nicolas Sarkozy concludes: “

Am I the one who asked for the quotes?

No.

Am I the one signing the checks?

No.

I therefore have no criminal responsibilities.

 "

The former president is accused of illegal campaign financing by allowing his 2012 presidential campaign expenses to soar above the limits allowed by law.

He faces one year in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros for campaign financing.

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • France

  • Justice

  • Nicolas sarkozy