Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s former president, strongly denied allegations of illegal campaign financing by Libya during his 2007 presidential campaign. Speaking in court last Thursday, Sarkozy, 69, described the accusations as a “plot” orchestrated by “liars and crooks,” including members of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s circle.
“You will never find one Libyan euro, one Libyan cent in my campaign,” Sarkozy said during his first remarks since the trial began earlier this month. The case, which has drawn widespread attention, accuses Sarkozy of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and criminal association—charges that could carry a sentence of up to 10 years if convicted.
The accusations first surfaced in 2011, when reports emerged claiming that Gadhafi’s regime had financed Sarkozy’s presidential bid with EUR 50 million (USD 51.4 million). Sarkozy has consistently denied the claims, asserting that the allegations are politically motivated.
Sarkozy emphasized his efforts to negotiate with Gadhafi during his presidency, referencing a high-profile deal in 2007 that secured the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death in Libya. “If you don’t discuss with Gadhafi, you don’t liberate the nurses!” he stated, defending his interactions with the Libyan leader as diplomatic necessities.
The case relies heavily on a purported Libyan intelligence document suggesting Gadhafi’s financial support, which Sarkozy insists is a forgery. Investigative magistrates have deemed the document authentic, though definitive evidence of a transaction has not been found.
The trial, set to run until April, involves 11 other defendants, including former ministers and intermediaries accused of facilitating the alleged financing. Among them is Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who is accused of acting as an intermediary but has fled to Lebanon, avoiding trial. Gadhafi’s former chief of staff Bashir Saleh is also absent, having relocated to the United Arab Emirates after surviving an assassination attempt in South Africa.
Sarkozy’s legal troubles extend beyond the Libyan case. He was convicted last year of illegal campaign financing during his failed 2012 reelection bid and sentenced to house arrest for corruption and influence peddling. Both convictions stemmed from investigations into wiretapped conversations related to the Libya inquiry.
Source: Associated Press, January 9, 2025
