France
Ex-President Sarkozy to appear in court in Libya affair
Nicolas Sarkozy has been on trial before. photo
© Bertrand Guay/AFP/dpa
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has had trouble with the judiciary for years. Now he is accused, among other things, of illegal campaign financing and corruption.
In the affair about alleged campaign money from Libya France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy in the dock. Investigating judges ordered a trial against him and twelve other suspects, according to the Paris-based financial prosecutor.
Sarkozy is accused of illegal campaign financing, misappropriation of public funds and corruption. The trial is scheduled for January 2025 to April 2025.
What is the Libya affair?
The Libya affair revolves around evidence that Sarkozy’s election campaign in 2007 was illegally funded by the regime of the then Libyan ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi.
A witness said in 2016 that in late 2006 or early 2007 he had brought several suitcases prepared by the Libyan regime with a total of five million euros to the Paris Interior Ministry, which was then headed by Sarkozy. The conservative, who was French President from 2007 to 2012, had always rejected the allegations.
Not his first trial
Sarkozy has been fighting the judiciary for years over various allegations. In May, an appeals court upheld the past president’s three-year prison sentence for bribery and trading in influence, including two years of probation. Sarkozy announced revision.
In addition, the appeal process for excessive campaign costs for his ultimately failed campaign for re-election in 2012 is to start in November. In the first instance, Sarkozy was therefore sentenced to one year in prison.