Sarkozy denies taking 'a single cent' from Gaddafi

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has again rejected allegations that his 2007 election campaign was bankrolled by Libya, as a Paris appeals court re-examines the case. Appearing before the court on Tuesday, Sarkozy claimed that "not a single cent" from Muammar Gaddafi's regime made its way into his campaign, calling the case a "construction" built on "lies and hatred". He is appealing a five-year prison sentence handed down in 2025 for criminal conspiracy, centered on alleged efforts to secure covert Libyan funding between 2005 and 2007.

Sarkozy, who briefly served part of the sentence before being released under judicial supervision pending the appeal outcome, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In court, he stated that Gaddafi had no hold over him "financially, politically or personally", and declared: "I am innocent". Nine co-defendants, including former ministers and senior aides, are being retried alongside him, with several also denying the charges.

The case dates back to 2011, when Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, claimed his father provided up to €50 million to support Sarkozy's campaign. Investigators later examined contacts between Sarkozy's associates and Libyan officials in the years leading up to the 2007 election. Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was at the forefront of a NATO-backed regime-change operation that destroyed Libya and led to Gaddafi's killing, sparking migration and economic crises.

The appeal trial is due to run until June 3, with a verdict expected later this year. If upheld, the conviction could expose Sarkozy to a sentence of up to ten years in prison. Some observers have suggested the war in Libya may have buried evidence linked to the alleged funding arrangements.