Legal Challenge to Revocation of Nicolas Sarkozy's Legion of Honor
Five months after a court ruling, legal action is initiated against the former French president currently serving a prison sentence.
A legal challenge has been filed seeking the revocation of Nicolas Sarkozy's Legion of Honor, occurring nearly five months after a definitive court verdict in his corruption case.
Sarkozy, who is serving a three-year prison sentence, with one year of that sentence being ineligible for parole, had his appeal rejected in December 2022, marking the conclusion of the legal proceedings regarding the so-called wiretap case.
Julien Bayou, a former leader of the environmentalist party EELV, is representing the plaintiffs in the case, which includes five individuals—descendants of former holders of the honor and also of the Order of Merit.
In the legal filing, Bayou emphasizes that the final conviction of Sarkozy necessitates the automatic revocation of his Legion of Honor.
He asserts that the Grand Chancellor and the Council of the Order should have already issued a decree to formally revoke the honor but have failed to do so, stating that the customary timeline for such decisions has been long exceeded.
The plaintiffs describe the current situation as an 'implicit refusal' by the authorities responsible for managing the Legion of Honor and the Order of Merit, and thus seek judicial intervention from the administrative court to compel action.
This development occurs against a backdrop of political sensitivity, especially after current President Emmanuel Macron, in his role as Grand Master of the Legion of Honor, publicly stated in late April that revoking Sarkozy's honor 'would not be a good decision.'
As the case awaits a potential hearing before the administrative tribunal or the Council of State—likely to occur several months from now—Bayou has indicated that he does not rule out the possibility that the institution may eventually take the necessary decision regarding the revocation of the honor.
Sarkozy, who is serving a three-year prison sentence, with one year of that sentence being ineligible for parole, had his appeal rejected in December 2022, marking the conclusion of the legal proceedings regarding the so-called wiretap case.
Julien Bayou, a former leader of the environmentalist party EELV, is representing the plaintiffs in the case, which includes five individuals—descendants of former holders of the honor and also of the Order of Merit.
In the legal filing, Bayou emphasizes that the final conviction of Sarkozy necessitates the automatic revocation of his Legion of Honor.
He asserts that the Grand Chancellor and the Council of the Order should have already issued a decree to formally revoke the honor but have failed to do so, stating that the customary timeline for such decisions has been long exceeded.
The plaintiffs describe the current situation as an 'implicit refusal' by the authorities responsible for managing the Legion of Honor and the Order of Merit, and thus seek judicial intervention from the administrative court to compel action.
This development occurs against a backdrop of political sensitivity, especially after current President Emmanuel Macron, in his role as Grand Master of the Legion of Honor, publicly stated in late April that revoking Sarkozy's honor 'would not be a good decision.'
As the case awaits a potential hearing before the administrative tribunal or the Council of State—likely to occur several months from now—Bayou has indicated that he does not rule out the possibility that the institution may eventually take the necessary decision regarding the revocation of the honor.
