Elysée poll trial: one year in prison including six months required against Claude Guéant – franceinfo

At the Elysee polls trial, the prosecution requested Tuesday, November 9, a year in prison including six months against the former secretary general of the presidency Claude Guéant. Sentences ranging from a fine to a firm year were required for four other former relatives of Nicolas Sarkozy. The trial ends Wednesday, with defense pleadings, and the decision is expected to be reserved.

These five former members of the inner circle of the former head of state must explain themselves to the Paris court on millions of euros spent on political advice and polls for the presidency between 2007 and 2012. Right arm of the former president, Claude Guéant had a “central role in offenses”, estimated the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF), requesting his conviction for “favoritism” and “embezzlement of public funds by negligence”, with a further 10,000 euros fine.

The prosecution also requested two years’ imprisonment, one of which was firm and a 100,000 euro fine against Patrick Buisson, as well as a 550,000 euro fine against his two companies, Publifact and Publi-Opinion. THE‘ex-advisor by Nicolas Sarkozy a “generated profits by freeing themselves from existing regulations, or worse, by embezzling public funds”, estimated the magistrates.

In addition, the public prosecutor requested six months suspended prison sentence and a 70,000 euro fine against ex-councilor Pierre Giacometti, and a fine of 250,000 euros against his company No Com. A fine of 500,000 euros for “concealment of favoritism” was requested against the Ipsos polling institute, the main beneficiary of the orders made directly by the Elysée cabinet between 2007 and 2009. Finally, the prosecution requested a fine of 10,000 euros against the former chief of staff of the Elysée, Emmanuelle Mignon.