Sarkozy On Trial: Allegations Of Libyan Cash Rock French Politics

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy went on trial Monday, accused of receiving millions of euros in illegal financing from Libya’s late strongman Moammar Gadhafi for his victorious 2007 presidential campaign.

Sarkozy, who appeared relaxed and engaged in conversation with lawyers and other defendants before the hearing began, has consistently denied the accusations.

The conservative ex-leader faces charges of "concealment of embezzlement of public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime," according to the financial prosecutor’s office.

This high-profile trial, set to span three months, threatens to further erode public trust in the French political establishment.

Investigators claim Sarkozy struck a corrupt deal with the Libyan government. The case centers on a murky web involving Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist, arms dealers, and allegations that Gadhafi funneled millions of euros to Sarkozy’s campaign, allegedly delivered in suitcases to Paris.

Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, dismissed the case as a fabrication, insisting there was no Libyan financing. "After 10 years of investigation, involving extensive resources, wiretaps, and international travel, there is no evidence of financing, no transfers, no payments, not even a specific amount mentioned for the alleged financing," Ingrain stated.

If convicted, Sarkozy could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros ($386,000).

In recent years, Sarkozy has battled numerous legal challenges. In December, France’s highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, which led to his sentence of one year under electronic surveillance, a first for a former French head of state.

Additionally, Sarkozy was found guilty in a separate case of concealing illegal campaign spending, a decision he is currently appealing.

A Sprawling Investigation

Financial prosecutors allege that in 2005, Sarkozy, then France’s interior minister, arranged a deal with Gadhafi for campaign financing in return for supporting Libya on the international stage, where it faced isolation.

Gadhafi was deposed and killed in 2011. In 2012, the French investigative website Mediapart published what it claimed was a note from Libyan intelligence, dated December 2006, detailing Gadhafi’s agreement to fund Sarkozy’s presidential bid with millions of euros. Sarkozy dismissed the document as a forgery.

Investigative judges launched a probe in 2013. This convoluted case, linked to nine other legal proceedings, involved cooperation requests to over 21 foreign countries to trace the alleged funds through various intermediaries and companies, culminating in the current trial more than a decade later.

Among the 12 others on trial are Sarkozy’s former chief of staff Claude Guéant, former Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux, and Eric Woerth, his former campaign finance head. All three were present in court on Monday.

Anti-corruption groups Sherpa, Anticor, and Transparency International issued a joint statement highlighting the broader implications of the case. "This alleged illicit financing exemplifies the mechanisms of cross-border corruption, which deprives civilian populations of essential public resources by diverting funds to private and political interests," the statement read.