France Prosecution wants seven years in prison for Sarkozy in Libya affair
In the trial against France's former President Nicolas Sarkozy for alleged election campaign funds from Libya, the prosecution has demanded seven years in prison. In addition, the financial prosecutor's office pleaded in court in Paris for a fine of 300,000 euros for the 70-year-old.
27.03.2025, 18:31
SDA
The Libya affair revolves around allegations that millions of euros were illegally poured into Sarkozy's 2007 presidential election campaign by the regime of the then Libyan ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi. The conservative, who was French president from 2007 to 2012, had always denied the allegations.
Prosecution sees agreement with Gaddafi
According to the indictment, however, there was indeed an agreement with Gaddafi to finance the presidential campaign, into which cash had flowed illegally. Sarkozy must therefore be found guilty of illegal campaign financing and bribery.
The co-accused former ministers Claude Guéant, Éric Woerth and Brice Hortefeux should be convicted of aiding and abetting. The prosecution demanded six years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros for Guéant, three years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros for Hortefeux and one year in prison and payment of 3,750 euros for Woerth.
The financial prosecutor's office rejected the defense's theory that the accusations against Sarkozy were only made out of revenge, so to speak, after he had taken over the leadership of the international coalition that helped to topple the Gaddafi regime in 2011.
Suitcase with millions of euros in the Ministry of the Interior?
The indictment is based, among other things, on information provided by the French-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who stated that at the end of 2006 or beginning of 2007 he had brought several suitcases - prepared by the Libyan regime - containing several million euros to the Ministry of the Interior in Paris, which was headed by Sarkozy at the time.
In return for the alleged payment of millions, Libya, which was ostracized at the time, is said to have been promised good deals with French companies and help with its return to the international stage. In fact, Muammar al-Gaddafi was received with military honors at the Élysée Palace in December 2007.
The trial will run until April 8. It is not yet known when the verdicts will be handed down.
