Sarkozy’s Next Adventure: Law Practice
By Joe Palazzolo
- Associated Press
- Outgoing French President Nicolas Sarkozy
In the U.S., ex-presidents distract themselves with memoirs and presidential libraries. They speak. They raise money. They rest. Mr. Sarkozy, a youthful 57 years old, has other ideas.
The WSJ’s Gabriele Parussini reports:
Outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy will return to his corporate law practice in September after an extended holiday, one of his longtime friends said Wednesday, but he also will lose his immunity to prosecution and could be summoned by magistrates probing alleged illegal campaign financing.Mr. Sarkozy still owns a stake in the Cabinet Arnaud Claude & Associés, the law practice he founded in 1987 with two associates. The firm now employs 20 lawyers, who represent insurance companies, banks, real estate developers, carmakers as well as local authorities and public bodies that manage low-rent housing, according to its website.
The 57-year-old leader, who formally steps down on Tuesday when Socialist President-elect François Hollande takes over, has hinted that he will retire from active politics after a 35-year career, but has been mum on what he might do next.
“He’s been mayor, lawmaker, minister, president: he’s not going to do it all over again,” said Patrick Balkany, a lawmaker who has been friends with Mr. Sarkozy since their teens and spoke to him on Tuesday. “He will work again as a lawyer.”
A spokesman for Mr. Sarkozy declined to comment.
Mr. Sarkozy could be summoned for questioning by a magistrate looking into accusations that France’s richest woman Liliane Bettencourt made illegal campaign donations to his victorious 2007 campaign. Mr. Sarkozy has repeatedly denied the allegations.
See NY PML Sec 105 and Sec 109
and NY Const. Art 1, Sec. 3
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