Former French president Sarkozy back in court over Libya scandal

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy appeared in a Paris court on 16 March for the start of an appeal trial over allegations that his 2007 presidential campaign sought financing from Libya, Africanews reported.

The case relates to a September 2025 ruling in which a Paris court sentenced Sarkozy to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy linked to the alleged scheme. The appeal hearings are scheduled to continue until 3 June.

Prosecutors allege Sarkozy agreed to a deal with former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to secure funding for his presidential campaign.

Two senior aides are alleged to have negotiated an agreement in which Libya would provide campaign funding in return for diplomatic backing, aimed at improving Gaddafi’s international reputation.

Judges at the first trial found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy but said there was no proof that Libyan funds were actually received or used in the campaign.

Financial prosecutors say Sarkozy, who was France’s interior minister at the time, reached an agreement with Gaddafi in 2005 under which Libya would help finance his presidential campaign in exchange for diplomatic support on the international stage.

Gaddafi was overthrown and killed during the Libyan uprising in 2011.

In 2012, French investigative website Mediapart published what it said was a Libyan intelligence document dated December 2006 that referred to a plan to finance Sarkozy’s presidential campaign with millions of euros.

Sarkozy has said the document is fake.

A formal probe into the alleged financing started in 2013 and investigators later sent cooperation requests to more than 20 countries to trace the alleged funds, before the case went to trial.

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has denied the allegations and is appealing the conviction.

The appeal court is expected to review evidence presented during the initial proceedings and reconsider the criminal conspiracy conviction.

Africanews, Reuters, Mediapart, Maghrebi.org