The 7th correctional chamber of the Luxembourg district court established this sentence for a case of property fraud dating back to 2016.

Reding at the time allegedly knowingly sold a flat for more than €1.6m, even though it did not meet the criteria required by Luxembourg law. In a house in Kirchberg, a basement had been converted into a studio apartment, but without the necessary building permit. Among other criteria, the studio did not have sufficient space in terms of ceiling height.

According to a court decision of June 2016, the MP had to restore the basement rooms to their original state within six months. Without having complied, allegedly proceeded to sell the studio, without informing the buyer of the court decision.

The decision handed down on Thursday morning is not final. Reding has 40 days to lodge an appeal.

The ADR will have to assess the political consequences of such a decision on the eve of an election year. Contacted, the leader of the parliamentary group, (ADR), said that he will not take a position immediately. “We will do this in consultation with Mr Reding and after internal consultations,” he explained to Delano’s sister publication Paperjam.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.