Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president, faces prison for 2007 campaign crimes. [Photo: Shutterstock]
Nicolas Sarkozy, the former President of France, is back in the headlines—this time not for politics or diplomacy, but for his legal troubles. The 70-year-old leader has begun serving a five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy linked to his 2007 presidential campaign, making him the first former French president in modern history to face jail time.
Once known as the “hyper-president” for his energetic style and ambitious reforms, Sarkozy’s name is now synonymous with controversy and legal battles. This profile delves into his life, career, family, wealth, and the scandals that have kept him in the spotlight for decades.
Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarkozy de Nagy-Bócsa was born on 28 January 1955 in Paris’s 17th arrondissement. He served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, making him the sixth President of the Fifth Republic.
Before that, he held several high-level jobs, including Interior Minister and Finance Minister, and he was Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Known for his energetic style, he was sometimes dubbed the “hyper-president” for his high-octane approach to politics.
According to reports, Nicolas Sarkozy net worth is ₹ 351,906,992,000 in 2025.
Nicolas Sarkozy’s net worth varies. One recent estimate puts his net worth around US $4 million (≈ €3.7 million) in 2025. Earlier disclosures when he left the presidency in 2012 listed declared assets of about €2.7 million.
Much of his wealth comes from insurance policies, bank holdings and personal collections rather than large real-estate empires.
As of 2025, Nicolas Sarkozy is 70 years old. He remains active in the public eye despite stepping back from major political roles.
According to multiple sources, Nicolas Sarkozy is approximately 5 ft 5 in (about 1.65 m or 1.66 m) tall. Height has been a topic of public commentary during his presidency and beyond.
His name is pronounced roughly: Nee-colas Sar-ko-zee (French: [ni.kɔ.la saʁ.ko.zi]). For non-French speakers you can think: “Nee-koh-lah Sar-ko-zee”.
Nicolas Sarkozy was brought up in the Catholic tradition. His father was of Hungarian Protestant origin and his mother’s family included a Jewish great-grandfather from Salonika.
Nicolas Sarkozy has been married three times:
The marriage of Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni has been high-profile. They met at a dinner in 2007 and married the following year.
Bruni’s background in music and modelling brought a celebrity edge to Sarkozy’s political image. Their daughter Giulia was born in 2011. The couple’s public presence has focused as much on style and culture as on politics.
His children are grown, and the family has stood by him during his legal troubles.
Sarkozy’s career has been marked by multiple controversies. Investigations targeted illegal campaign financing, influence-peddling and corruption. He has faced severe legal drama linked to alleged funding from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his 2007 campaign.
In September 2025, a court convicted Sarkozy of criminal conspiracy in the Libyan-funding case and gave him a five-year prison sentence plus a €100,000 fine. He proceeded to begin the sentence in October 2025 at La Santé prison in Paris. He is the first former French president to serve jail time in modern history.
