Beijing the paris criminal court: On Monday rejected former President Nicolas Sarkozy's request to merge his sentences in two separate cases.

According to Anadolu Agency, the court ruled that Sarkozy must serve the custodial portion of his sentence in the so-called Bygmalion case. Although the decision can still be appealed, it comes after Sarkozy's legal team sought to merge his sentence in the Bygmalion campaign financing case with a penalty he had already served in the separate Bismuth wiretapping case.

His lawyers contended that the six-month custodial portion of the Bygmalion sentence should be deemed fulfilled, given that Sarkozy had previously worn an electronic monitoring bracelet last year in connection with the Bismuth conviction.

In February 2024, the Paris Court of Appeal sentenced Sarkozy to one year in prison, including six months to be served under alternative arrangements such as an electronic bracelet, for the illegal financing of his failed 2012 presidential campaign. France's Court of Cassation rejected his appeal in November, rendering the ruling final.

This case marked Sarkozy's second definitive conviction, following a three-year sentence, including one year under electronic monitoring, for corruption and influence peddling in the Bismuth affair. That verdict became final in December 2024. Sarkozy wore an electronic bracelet from February 7 to May 12, 2025, before being granted parole due to his age.

Sarkozy is also scheduled to return to court on March 16 for the appeal trial in the Libyan campaign financing case, in which he was initially sentenced to five years in prison for criminal association.