Nicolas Sarkozy Denies Any Involvement in Libyan Financing of His 2007 Presidential Campaign

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken for the first time before the Paris Criminal Court in the trial regarding allegations of Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. Facing charges of “illegal campaign financing,” “passive corruption,” “misappropriation of public funds,” and “criminal conspiracy,” Sarkozy firmly denied the accusations.

“You will never find, not even one euro, not even one Libyan cent, in my campaign,” Nicolas Sarkozy declared on January 9, asserting his commitment to “truth and justice.” The former head of state denounced “ten years of slander,” including “48 hours in police custody, 60 hours of questioning, and a decade of investigation.” He reaffirmed his intention to answer all questions posed by the judges throughout the four-month trial.

Allegations and Evidence Against Sarkozy

According to the judges, Sarkozy was “fully aware” of the alleged actions of his close associates, who are suspected of orchestrating the transfer of funds from the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi. The judges highlighted an alleged “corruption pact” sealed in 2005 between Sarkozy and the Libyan leader.

Several testimonies and documents support the allegations. In 2012, the French investigative media outlet Mediapart published a note from Libyan intelligence services claiming that €50 million had been provided to fund Sarkozy’s successful 2007 campaign. Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine also claimed to have delivered three suitcases of cash to Claude Guéant, Sarkozy’s chief of staff at the Ministry of the Interior. Investigators also uncovered entries in the notebook of a deceased Libyan official, detailing multiple secret payments totaling €6.5 million.

A Defiant Defense

At the hearing, Sarkozy described the case as “sprawling” and accused three “groups of liars or fraudsters.” He singled out the “Gaddafi clan,” arguing that the accusations arose after his public calls for the Libyan leader’s removal. He also challenged the authenticity of a “so-called note on Libyan financing,” which he claims is a forgery, and accused Ziad Takieddine of harboring “a deep-seated hatred” against him.

Despite the numerous pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution, Nicolas Sarkozy continues to categorically deny all accusations and maintains his innocence. He faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a €375,000 fine, and up to five years of ineligibility from public office. The trial, which began on January 6, is scheduled to run until April 10.