Right-wing interior minister and UMP leader who became president and was later convicted of corruption
Born in Paris in 1955 to a Hungarian-born father, he began in politics in the Rally for the Republic and was mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine from 1983 to 2002. After serving as budget minister under Balladur and as interior minister and finance minister under President Chirac, he became leader of the UMP in 2004. Elected president in 2007, he pursued university and pension reforms and faced the global financial crisis and the 2011 intervention in Libya. He lost to Hollande in 2012. From 2021 he was convicted in several trials, and in 2025 he was sentenced to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy over a "corruption pact" with Gaddafi, serving three weeks before his release.
Also known as: Nicolas Sarközy
Activities and affiliations
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1983–2002
France state institutionsMayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine
Government and administration -
1988–2002
Legislature and state representation
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1993–2012
France state institutionsMinister of the Interior, President of the RepublicHeads of state and government of FranceMain
Government and administration
Career Timeline
- 1983–2002Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine
- 1993–1995Minister of the Budget
- 2002–2004Minister of the Interior
- 2004.04.30–11Minister of Finance
- 2004.11–2007President of the Union for a Popular Movement
- 2007.05.16–2012.05.15President of the Republic