Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy faces trial over charges of Libyan campaign financing

Sarkozy denies allegations he took money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to fund his victorious 2007 presidential bid

The 68-year-old has already been convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling in separate cases

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Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy signs copies of his book in Arcachon, France on Friday. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:13am, 26 Aug 2023Updated: 3:34am, 26 Aug 2023

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will be tried in 2025 over allegations he took money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to fund one of his election campaigns, prosecutors said on Friday.

The trial has been scheduled for January-April 2025 and is set to hear explosive evidence that the right-winger conspired to take cash from the Libyan leader to illegally fund his victorious 2007 bid to become French president.

Sarkozy, who has faced a litany of legal problems since his one term in office, denies the allegations – which are the most serious he faces and potentially the most damaging to his already badly tainted reputation.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2009. The dictator was assassinated in 2011. Photo: AP

The 68-year-old has already been convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling in separate cases involving attempts to influence a judge and campaign financing. He has appealed against both judgments.

Among 12 others facing trial over the alleged Libyan financing are heavyweights such as Sarkozy’s former right-hand man, Claude Gueant, his then-head of campaign financing, Eric Woerth, and former minister Brice Hortefeux.

The investigation was sparked by revelations from the investigative website Mediapart, which published a document purporting to show that Gaddafi agreed to give Sarkozy up to €50 million (US$54 million).

In 2011, as Nato-backed forces were preparing to drive Gaddafi from power, the dictator’s son Seif al-Islam also said publicly that Sarkozy must “give back the money he took from Libya to finance his electoral campaign”.