Paris, Reuters – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has found himself at the center of a high-stakes trial, accused of receiving millions of euros in illicit funding from Libya’s late dictator, Moammar Gadhafi, for his victorious 2007 presidential campaign. The allegations have cast a long shadow over his political legacy and raised broader questions about the integrity of France’s political system.
Relaxed and conversing with lawyers and co-defendants in court, Sarkozy has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The charges against him include “concealment of embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and criminal conspiracy with intent to commit a crime,” according to the French financial prosecutor’s office.
The three-month trial delves into what prosecutors describe as a clandestine arrangement between Sarkozy and the Libyan regime. Allegedly, millions of euros were smuggled into France in suitcases, involving an intricate web of Libyan intelligence agents, arms dealers, and a convicted terrorist. Sarkozy’s defense team, however, maintains that the case is unfounded, pointing out that years of investigations, including wiretaps and international probes, have failed to uncover concrete evidence of illegal payments.
If convicted, Sarkozy could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of €375,000 ($386,000). The trial further complicates his mounting legal woes, as he already faces convictions for corruption and influence peddling, for which he was sentenced to wear an electronic bracelet instead of serving time in prison.
This case traces back to 2005, when Sarkozy, then France’s interior minister, allegedly secured a deal with Gadhafi to support Libya’s internationally isolated regime in exchange for campaign financing. These claims gained traction in 2012 when the investigative platform Mediapart published a purported Libyan intelligence note detailing the alleged funding. Sarkozy dismissed the document as fraudulent, but a formal investigation began in 2013.
The sprawling inquiry has involved cooperation with over 21 countries, uncovering a network of intermediaries and opaque financial transactions. Twelve other individuals, including Sarkozy’s former chief of staff Claude Guéant and ex-Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, are also standing trial for their alleged roles.
Anti-corruption watchdogs such as Sherpa and Transparency International have criticized the case as emblematic of how cross-border corruption siphons vital public funds for private and political gain. The trial not only puts Sarkozy’s legacy under scrutiny but also highlights the broader fight against political corruption in France.