A Paris court has sentenced former French president Nicolas Sarkozy to five years in prison after finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy in a long-running case concerning illicit financing from the former Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi. The landmark ruling makes Sarkozy the first former head of state in modern French history to be sentenced to actual prison time.

The verdict concludes a trial centered on allegations that Sarkozy and his aides forged a "corruption pact" with Gaddafi to secure funds for his successful 2007 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argued that when Sarkozy was serving as France's interior minister, he conspired to gain financial support, estimated at around €50 million, in exchange for future diplomatic favors for the Libyan government.

While Sarkozy was convicted of criminal conspiracy, the court acquitted him of other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. The judges determined that although investigators found no definitive proof that Libyan money was used in the campaign, a conspiracy had been established. Under French law, a completed transaction is not required for a conspiracy conviction. The court cited evidence of secret meetings between Sarkozy's camp and Libyan officials as proof of the illicit agreement.

Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has consistently and vehemently denied all accusations, labeling the evidence as false. Following the verdict, he condemned the ruling as a "national disgrace" and announced his intention to appeal.

Two of his closest former aides, Claude Guéant and Brice Hortefeux, who both served as interior ministers, were also found guilty. Guéant was sentenced to six years of house arrest, a sentence convertible due to health issues, while Hortefeux received a two-year prison sentence.

This case is the latest in a series of legal battles for the former president. Sarkozy has another corruption conviction on his record, which resulted in him being stripped of France’s prestigious Legion of Honor. A separate investigation is also underway involving potential witness tampering, in which his wife, the singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, was charged last year.

Despite his mounting legal troubles, Sarkozy remains an influential and prominent figure in French right-wing politics. The appeal process is expected to follow, but the court has indicated that Sarkozy is expected to serve jail time, with an incarceration date yet to be determined.