A trial has begun in France against former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

According to the investigation, in 2005, Sarkozy and his team conspired with Gaddafi and received at least 50 million euros from him between 2006 and 2007, which Sarkozy used to finance his election campaign. In return, France supported Gaddafi's regime, even though he was isolated on the international stage.

Sarkozy faces charges of "passive corruption," "criminal conspiracy," "illegal financing of an election campaign," and "concealment of the unlawful appropriation of Libyan public funds." The former president denies any wrongdoing and claims that the documents presented by the investigation are forged.

• This is Sarkozy's third trial. In 2021, the court issued two sentences: one for three years in prison (two of which are suspended, and one under house arrest) for corruption and attempting to bribe an official, and the second for illegal financing of an election campaign. For this, the former president received one year of freedom restriction (six months in detention and six months suspended), but the sentence is currently under appeal.

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