The History of Prosecuting Ex-Leaders in Democracies.
TL;DR
While a serving French leader is generally safe from prosecution, former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac were convicted after leaving office. France has also prosecuted former prime minister François Fillon on charges ranging from campaign finance violations to embezzlement. The indictment of former US president Donald Trump is groundbreaking for the United States but not uncommon among liberal democracies, with other ex-leaders such as Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi also facing charges.
- Amid Trump indictment, a look back at France’s history of prosecuting ex-leaders FRANCE 24 English
- Why The World Looks at the Trump Case and…Yawns The Daily Beast
- Trump joins list of ex-presidents around the world who have been prosecuted in criminal cases Los Angeles Times
- Democracies Have a History of Prosecuting Their Presidents Newsweek
- Indicting Leaders Is Common for Functioning Democracies TIME
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Read on FRANCE 24 English