Overview
- Sarkozy, questioned Thursday in Paris, said his post-verdict use of the word “hatred” came in a state of shock and that he would likely not use it the same way today.
- He cast the case as a Kadhafi-driven “machination” and argued that the Ghanem notes and about €6.5 million traced to Ziad Takieddine and Alexandre Djouhri show personal spending, not campaign cash.
- He further pulled back from former chief of staff Claude Guéant, saying he was surprised by facts in the file, as Guéant stayed away from the appeal hearings for medical reasons.
- Guéant’s lawyer called the insinuations “extremely serious” and said they rest on nothing concrete, signaling a sharp rift between the two camps.
- The stakes remain high after Sarkozy’s first trial ended with five years in prison and immediate enforcement, which led to 20 days in jail before his release under judicial control, and the appeal hearings continue.