Nicolas Sarkozy Faces Trial Over Alleged Libyan Campaign Financing

The former French president and 12 others, including three ex-ministers, are accused of corruption and illegal funding tied to Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

The trial, which began on January 6 in Paris, focuses on allegations that Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign received up to €50 million from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in exchange for diplomatic and economic favors.
Sarkozy, along with former ministers Claude Guéant, Brice Hortefeux, and Éric Woerth, faces charges including corruption, embezzlement of public funds, and illegal campaign financing, with potential penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
The prosecution cites years of investigation, financial records, and testimonies from Libyan officials as evidence of a corruption pact, though Sarkozy denies all accusations and calls them politically motivated.
Key figures like Ziad Takieddine, a central witness who has given conflicting statements over the years, remain absent from the trial, while others, including Alexandre Djouhri, are present in court.
The trial, expected to last until April, represents one of the most significant political corruption cases in France, highlighting broader issues of campaign finance abuses under the Fifth Republic.