Nicolas Sarkozy breaks his "media silence" to pay tribute to a slain municipal police officer

"I have chosen to break the media silence that I had imposed on myself for one reason and one reason only: Aurélie and her family," declared the former head of state (2007-2012), in the presence of Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, in the garden of the town hall of Villiers-sur-Marne, the town where this policewoman was killed during a botched robbery.

Nicolas Sarkozy was finally sentenced in December, in the wiretapping affair, to three years in prison, including one year in prison, under house arrest under electronic surveillance, for corruption and influence peddling - a first for a former president who is also ineligible for three years.

He was admitted to the parole system on May 14 and had the device he had been wearing on his ankle for just over three months removed.

"I feel responsible for the death of your daughter and the death of your mother," declared the man who was President of the Republic at the time of the tragedy, addressing the parents and now teenage son of Mrs. Fouquet.

On May 20, 2010, a group of robbers, spotted by police, embarked on a mad chase on the highway, shooting at police and injuring motorists.

In Villiers-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne), they machine-gunned a municipal police car, killing Aurélie Fouquet, 26, and injuring her teammate before fleeing.

Repeat offender Rédoine Faïd has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in organizing this failed robbery.

According to the mayor of the town, Jacques-Alain Benisti (LR), Aurélie Fouquet is "the first municipal police officer in France to be a victim of duty."

Mr. Sarkozy also offered his "congratulations" at the very beginning of the tribute to Bruno Retailleau, who was recently and comfortably elected to lead the Republicans on Sunday against his rival Laurent Wauquiez.

"This is not the place for congratulations, but perhaps you felt my joy and confidence," he said.

Bruno Retailleau, for his part, paid tribute to the memory of the deceased police officer, who represents "the sense of duty and the memory of sacrifice."

The police represent "the France of sharing, of self-giving" in the face of "that of destruction," he added.